Forgone Conclusion
by ChronosSoujourner
Summary: Every time I close my eyes I see demons, but every time I fall asleep I see your angelic face. --ChronosSoujourner 2008
1. Chapter 1: Day damn one

A Forgone Conclusion

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but that would be totally awesome if I did.

Summary: Naruto is placed in a mental institution after an unfortunate accident. After he is released, he is assigned to a genin team. Who is this girl that keeps following him?

* * *

The night of the moon shone brightly on his bloody, blond locks. The young boy stumbled through the deserted streets of Konoha. With his eyes glazed over, the boy could see the hospital in sight. His breathing heavy, his legs too weak to even support his small frame, his vision fading, but still he trudged on. No longer able to go any further, the child of no more than the age of five welcomed the darkness that surrounded him.

He awoke several hours later with IV hooked up to his arm in small white room. The smell of disinfectant strong in the air. Before he questioned how he survived, his gaze wandered upon a small child, a girl in fact, the same age as him. She was smiling. Her kind eyes peering through his soul. She just stood there for what seemed like ages. Her stare caused the boy to pant a little harder. His heart rate increased, but his eyes never left hers. There was a beeping sound that seemed to increase with each passing second, neither child taking notice. Even the doctors and nurses filling the room to check on the boy's vitals and his sudden increase in adrenaline didn't phase the two. One doctor moved into the boy's vision. When the doctor had moved the girl had disappeared. And once again the boy had faded back into unconsciousness.

Flashback...

"Hey... y-you want to be my friend?" asked the timid blond.

"..." The girl just giggled at the little blond boy.

"I-I understand if you don't want to play with me... but if you need, I mean want to know, my names Naruto, Uzumaki Naruto." the blond said somberly as he began to walk away.

"My names Haku..." Naruto spun on his heel to find the girl no longer there, surprise evident on his face.

Naruto would find that within that day he would meet Haku everywhere, but she always seemed to disappear as he approached her. Naruto grew depressed, thinking that she was avoiding him. He walked down the empty streets of Konoha, not willing to go back to the orphanage at least not yet. His ears caught onto the sound of a chase, most likely another rogue shinobi which was pretty common amongst the night life of Konoha. Seeing how late it was, he decided to sneak back into the orphanage and turned around.

Naruto was in for a surprise when he saw Haku looking straight at him with that same smile that she had used when they had first met. A figure flew past the two children carrying something rather large on his back. Naruto saw the second figure, that was in pursuit of the rogue, throw some kunai in the direction of Haku. Without thinking at all, Naruto quickly sprung from where he stood in front of Haku and took the full brunt of the attack, blood spraying all over his body. The shinobi took no note of this as he took off in pursuit of the rogue. Naruto staggered to his feet only to find Haku had once again left.

End Flashback...

"Naruto..." Naruto snapped out of daze and turned to face the old man in front of him.

"Hey Hokage-sama." The old man shook his head in disappointment. Where had the young vibrant boy before him go?

"Umm sumimasen Hokage-sama, can you tell me if you saw a small girl about my age visit me? She goes by the name Haku."

"Sorry, Naruto but I'm the only one who has visited you today."

"But back to business..." the old man sighed, he knew there was no easy way to tell him ,"Naruto your being removed from the orphanage..."

"Yatta!" The blonde boy beamed.

"You didn't let me finish. Naruto your being sent to the SIRC, or otherwise called the shinobi isolation and rehabilitation center." The smile that adorned his whiskered face was replace with a more panic stricken look.

"B-but I'm not a shinobi, what does that mean?"

"It means that the nurses and doctors have ran tests that proves your mental stability is borderline insane. Even though your not a shinobi, you still aspire to be one and therefore will be sent to the asylum."

"I don't understand."

"Naruto it means that you will be sent there because you want to be a ninja."

"No, I mean I don't understand the other words. I'm only five Hokage-sama."

"It means your mind isn't working right and your going to a place that will help you."

"How long will I be there?"

"You will be released before you start the academy if not sooner."

"What will happen to me there."

"Don't think about it too much Naruto. Just think about it as... extra training for being a ninja."

Naruto smiled weakly as his grandfather figure left his side. His eyes drooped and Haku's figure reappeared at his bedside.

"Why do you always leave me? Do you hate me?"

"No of course not."

"Did you hear that I'll be going to the SCRI or SICR or whatever. What I'm trying to say is that they're sending me to the crazy house."

"Don't worry I'll visit you."

"Thanks"

* * *

Shinobi Isolation and Rehabilitation Center...

Two men escorted a small child through the dimly lit halls of the SIRC. One of the men ran his hand through his long silver hair, sighing at how such a small child could be sent to such a horrible place. The reason the man was there was because the hokage trusted him enough to train and observe the boy, then report about his mental health to him. The man next to him was another Anbu member that was completely loyal and answered to no one but the hokage. The man reminisced back when he was no nonsense and followed the rules to the letter. His brow furrowed beneath his Anbu mask. Painful memories flashed before his eyes. He reached into his vest pocket to reveal an orange book. The man carefully took out his page marker and started to read, but as soon as he started reading the other Anbu swatted the book out of his hands.

"Now is not the time Inu-taisho."

"Oi, any time is a good time for Icha Icha."

"How did you become an Anbu captain?"

"Luck?" answered the silver haired man sardonically.

"Hey... ummm, Anbu guys? What's going to happen to me in here?" asked the small boy.

"Oh yeah, almost forgot you were there. Tenzou-san and I are assigned to protect and train you to become a full fledged ninja. Instead of the normal treatment that the other patients get, Hokage-sama found it prudent to have you assigned your own set of orderlies, nurses or in your case nurse, senseis, and you will only associate with certain patients that do not know you or have been here for the past five or so years."

"How can you be so irresponsible to forget that he was here taicho?"

"Lighten up, it was a joke."

"A joke, like showing up late for this mission three hours late."

"I told you... I got lost on the road of life and a black cat crossed my path, so I had to take the long way around the cat."

"Taicho, if your going to show up late at least come up with a better excuse." The Anbu looked to his left to find that his captain was ignoring him in favor of his novel.

"Well here we are, Wing D, Cell block 4. This is where you will sleep for the next couple of years. Tomorrow we will begin your schedule as such." Tenzou stopped when he heard a giggle from his captain.

"Captain please refrain from reading your smut until after we have informed young Naruto here of what his stay here will consist of."

"Hey this is not smut, it is art and I can do both." Tenzou just grunted in reply and shook his head in disappointment.

"Okay Naruto, your schedule will consist of waking up at 0500 hours. You will do some exercises until 0700 hours, eat, then you will go through mental therapy at 1000 hours. After that you will go through rigorous training from 1200 - 1600 hours. After a brief history and political lesson at 1700 hours you will eat dinner and then sleep. Any questions?"

"Hey Naruto if you don't remember that, I wrote it down on a sticky note, not using military time." said the silver haired man, without looking up from his book.

Naruto walked into his room and heard the faint sound of the two Anbu's voices fading into the distance. Apparently Tenzou was berating Inu about his bad habits and questionable etiquette. Laughing, Naruto fell asleep on the much comfier bed.

**"So this is my container. A weak little gaki that knows no better." **In front of Naruto was large cage with two demonic eyes that pierced the darkness of the dank sewer that he stood in. A cynical smile from the darkness of the cage formed on the face of a feral beast.

"W-who are y-you?"

**"I am the great Kyuubi no Kitsune."**

"B-but y-you're dead."

**"That damn blond hokage of yours sealed me into your weak body."**

"So you're the reason why everybody hates me, it makes sense I guess."

**"Are you not scared child?"**

"Why? If you were to kill me, no one would care." The look of apathy on the boy's face shocked the demon. His container was welcoming death as if it were nothing.

**"Gaki, do you not fear death. Even demons such as I fear death. Why do you think you have not died yet? I have been healing your reckless ass from not killing us both. Gaki I will train you whenever your asleep you will enter this mind scape and I will train you."**

"Can't you just power me up with your demonic energy."

**"You humans are oh so stupid. Your pathetic human body cannot withstand our yokai in your body. Whenever a demon is sealed in a human the energy of the demon only surrounds the person and it still has adverse effects. If I were to flood your body with my energy, you would die. I've noticed that too much yokai around your skin would melt it."**

"How can you train me? Your just a demon fox, its not like you need ninja skills."

**"True, but I can condition your body and help you control your massive chakra reserves."**

"What would you know about chakra control?"

**"You think that you could sustain an unlimited amount of power without having a small amount of control over it? Leave it to a foolish humans to think that with power you can lord over anything. Even if you have power you won't be strong. If you can't control that power, you will harm yourself more than others."**

"Okay, but one question why are you doing this?"

**"Why? I guess so that the other bijuu don't think that I have a weak and pathetic flesh bag for a container. Now wake up, it seems that someone wants to see you."**

"H-Haku?" Naruto's eyes opened to find the girl nudging him awake.

"Told ya I'd visit."

"But how did you get in here?"

"I'm one of the patients." Naruto sat up when he heard the sound of the door click open to reveal the two Anbu.

"Hey guys, mornin'. Oh and I want you two to meet H..." Naruto turned to find that Haku was no longer there.

"Hey did either of you two see a girl, about the same age as me... I swear she was just right here in my bed."

"Oh ho ho... little Naruto-kun already has those oof..." Inu massaged his ribs after Tenzou had elbowed him.

"Taicho he's just a child, don't fill his head with such thoughts, seriously. I think we should look into this, he might actually be mentally unstable."

"Oh come on, when I was his age I was dreaming about girls too."

"You still do taicho."

The next few years went by quickly. A sudden change in Naruto's demeanor and behaviour became evident. His carefree attitude no longer there. His eyes were dulled and showed great fatigue all the time. Naruto spoke only when spoken to and many of the nurses say that he really is insane. They say that he talks to himself in his room alone when he thinks everyone is gone. Though his attitude had withered away into this much colder form, his natural talent and incredible shinobi skills earned him praise. The shinobi council took immediate notice of his enormous growth. One specific council member that took notice was Danzo.

Danzo was an old shinobi in charge of Root. In the past he was running against Sarutobi for the position for third hokage. He suggested that they enroll him into Root. Other members of the council agreed with the elder shinobi. Another member however disagreed. Hyuuga Hiashi, the head of the prestigious Hyuuga clan. He stated that someone as young as Naruto would not be able to handle such a substantially arduous job and that it was the law to wait until a person had reached the age of 12 and had become a chuunin.

Everyone had forgotten about the law, because it was relatively new. The law was placed after ex-Anbu commander Uchiha Itachi had slaughtered the entire Uchiha clan in which became known as the Uchiha Massacre. The rest of the council though didn't want Naruto to become a genin and associate with their children. Admittedly they wanted him to become an Anbu member, so that they could assign him suicide missions. Surprisingly though Sarutobi had agreed to allow Naruto to become an Anbu member after he had become a chuunin.

One person though was completely perplexed. This man was Anbu captain, Hatake Kakashi, otherwise known as Inu. He confronted the third after the meeting was adjourned and asked what the man was thinking. The old hokage's response was that he should learn his place. Kakashi would not be deterred though and asked why would he place such a fragile mind into Anbu. The old man turned around and in a faint whisper asked the Anbu captain who Anbu serves and who do they not serve. A ridiculous question, thought the Anbu captain, but nonetheless he answered that it was Anbu's sworn duty to serve under the Hokage... and nobody else. The old man smiled when he saw that his captain had stopped dead in his tracks.

"This is the only way that I could protect Naruto from whatever mission that the council might decide to give him. Inu-san I will give you your last mission as an Anbu captain today. Your mission is to watch over Naruto and become his sensei when he joins a genin team."

* * *

Seven years later...

Two figures stood in front of the academy yard. One was the recently retired Anbu captain, Hatake Kakashi. His face was buried in his novel, he wore the standard jounin attire plus a face mask that covered half his face and his hi-tiate covered his left eye. The boy to his left was a head shorter than him. He had blond hair with a slightly red tinge. He wore black pants, a high collar cloak, fingerless gloves with a metal plating and bandages that covered the whisker markings on his cheeks.

"So Naruto you ready?"

"Yeah..." Naruto had not known Kakashi long, but as soon as Kakashi pulled out his book when they first met Naruto knew that he had looked after him during the past seven or so years.

"Feels good to be outside huh?"

"I guess..."

"Just remember to find me after the team meeting so that I could show you where you're apartment is."

Kakashi had thought of himself as a sort of older brother figure to Naruto, even though Naruto would never say so himself. He would've adopted the young boy but Naruto was to stay in the SIRC until released and by then he would've been old enough or have the required skills to take care of himself. Instead Kakashi opted to visit Naruto everyday and teach him every so often.

Kakashi thought of how unlucky he was to have such a dysfunctional team, Naruto was already a handful but a fangirl and an emotionally scarred survivor. Though he was only a jounin for a few years, he had already built up a reputation for failing teams.

Kakashi had a lot of time to kill, he was to show up at the academy for team assignments at one which meant that he was to show up at four. He walked through Konoha with a bag of ramen and walked into a local dango bar and looked at the menu.

_"Now what did Rin and Obito like?"_

"So the cyclops finally decides to quit Anbu." Kakashi lazily took his eye off the menu and laid his eye to see Mitarashi Anko. Now he wouldn't say she was insane but... yeah she was crazy.

She was one of the few kunoichi to wear fishnet clothing, a mini-skirt, and a large open trench coat in public. He knew of her past and quite frankly he couldn't care less, unlike those villagers who show great disdain for her. All he knew was that she was crazy and last time he accidentally grabbed her ass instead of his tea, she almost castrated him.

"Hmm, you say something Anko-san?" Kakashi said in his usual cheery yet lazy tone. That somehow always pissed off anyone to know that they were being ignored.

"Yeah I was going to ask why you got so much food? Fatass."

"I just felt like eating something."

"Three unagi, one order of sashimi, and a plate of dango." Kakashi grabbed the bag from the waitress and walked away. Anko grabbed his shoulder. She whispered into his ear.

"You have to forget sometimes." Now Anko didn't know about Kakashi's past, but she knew when a person was grieving.

"If you're alone and no one cares about you, your better off dead. If one person cares... that's all that matters. A friend used to say that when his family disowned him. They're still alive to me and that's all that matters." Kakashi left towards the stone memorial, leaving a very confused Anko.

* * *

Naruto was asleep when the teams were being assigned, he felt that it was more important to get some training in with the friendly neighborhood demon. When he had awoken though, the classroom was empty save for the two that he assumed were his future teammates.

Naruto recognized the boy in the blue collared shirt as the an Uchiha Sasuke, the only Uchiha in Konohaalive. His other teammate was an unknown to him, probably another commoner from a civilian family that joined the ninja rank for the glory, fame, and all that nonsensical camaraderie. To him she seemed like a great liability to the team and would fawn over the Uchiha rather than train.

Uchiha Sasuke was a patient man, but right now he was outright furious. His sensei had the nerve to forget to pick up his team. It already had been two hours and Sasuke felt that Kami must hate him to assign him a team with one of his oh so loyal, die hard fangirls. Her incessant staring was causing him to lose his calm composure and at any moment he was sure to kill her. The other boy however, was an enigma.

He just walked in and politely introduced himself, then just sat in the back next to the nara and fell asleep while sitting up. The boy just creeped him out. Sasuke turned his head towards the door when he heard the click of the knob turn. Immediately, when the door opened up slightly, a kunai whizzed straight passed Sasuke and towards the unknown guest. Sasuke was shocked at the speed of the kunai. His eyes could not even follow the object.

_"Great, the guy kills our sensei before we even start our missions."_

"Now now, that's not a very nice thing to do Naruto." The man behind the door walked in with the kunai wistfully twirling around his pinky by the ring.

"Gomen Kakashi-san"

"Call me Kakashi-sensei, Naruto. Okay team, meet me on the roof."

"Now let's introduce ourselves, shall we. Just say your name, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and your dream."

"Sensei why don't you go first?"

"Fine, my name is Hatake Kakashi, I like some stuff, have some dislikes, I know I have hobbies... your turn pinky."

_"All we learned is his name."_

"My name is Haruno Sakura, I like...(squeal), my dislikes are Ino-buta and Kiba's dog breath. My favorite hobbie is gardening, and my dream is to... (squeal)." Every time Sakura squealed, she would take a short glance at Sasuke.

_"Okay another fangirl. Maybe if I get lucky, she'll die on one of our missions. On the other hand, the hokage and the council would have my ass if one of my students were to happen to come across an unfortunate 'accident'."_

"Your turn chicken butt."

"The name's Uchiha Sasuke, I have no likes, I dislike a lot of things, I have no hobbies besides training, and I wouldn't call it a dream, but my ambition is to kill a certain man."

_"I hope I can turn him away from that before it's too late."_

"Oi Naruto, your turn."

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto but I prefer to go by Namikaze Naruto. I like training and talking with my best friend. I dislike this village, white rooms, nurses, weasels, and my mother. My hobby is to watch and observe people, specifically ninja. My dream is to... you know I've never given this any thought, so I guess I don't have a dream. Actually... nope can't think of anything."

_"I need to get him out of his room more often."_

"Tomorrow, we are going to do a survival exercise to see if you are truly genin."

"But sensei, didn't we do that in the academy already?"

"Sakura, that test was to see if you had the potential to become genin. The rest is up to the jounin instructor to decide whether or not the three are worthy or ready to become a genin. If they aren't, then they are sent back to the academy."

"What's so funny sensei?"

"Well here's the thing Sakura, when I tell you the next part, you guys are totally going to flip. The failure rate for becoming a genin is... 66 percent." Sakura was completely distraught that she might be separated from Sasuke and Sasuke was aggravated that he might not even become a ninja. Naruto's focus, on the other hand, lingered from food to training rather than the situation at hand.

"Now meet me in training ground 7 in the morning. Oh and don't eat, you might puke."

"Oh and Naruto stay behind, I need to show you your new home."

"Sorry about the place Naruto, but every other place wouldn't allow you to occupy there residence. So instead the hokage and I found this condemned building and fixed it up to regulated standards. It's livable but barely, it's not like I was born into carpentry anyway. But on a serious note Naruto, if you ever need anything don't ever hesitate to find me or the hokage. Here's your key, your spare key, and your weekly allowance from the hokage. The key opens any room in the complex. There are no other residents anyway so might as well not waste it, right?"

"Thank you anyway Kakashi-sa... sensei. I think this will be an appropriate living arrangement for me. See you tomorrow."

Kakashi walked home reading his book yet again. Naruto shook his head and opened the door to the apartment. The place was relatively small and was already furnished. he checked the kitchen and the only things there were a basket of assorted fruits, ramen, cereal, and some milk in the fridge. He walked into his bedroom and to his surprise a sleeping figure was under his sheets.

_"Damn't five minutes and a homeless person has already raided my house and is napping on my bed." _Naruto turned on the lights and went to awaken the "homeless devil". When he nudged on the person's shoulders, he realized how small s/he was. The figure stirred and mumbled some nonsense. He nudged s/he once again.

"Gomen Naruto-koi, datte go kiroku douzu?" Naruto sighed.

"I'm not even going to ask how you got out of the SIRC let alone into my home. I live here for a few minutes and your already in my bed?"

"Oh, you don't like me in your bed Naruto-koi?" said the girl with her back turned and in a mockingly sad tone.

"That's not what I meant you pervert and stop calling me that we're only like twelve or thirteenish? I don't care I lost track of birthdays in the nuthouse. Haku-san, please get off my bed. You can sleep on the couch until I can figure out what to do with you."

"Go kiroku douzu, Naruto-_koi_."

"Che, in five minutes I'm going to be in there."

"Oh, that's so sweet. Nawuto-koi wants to sleep wit wittle ol' me?"

"Stop twisting around what I say you pervert. I swear you're worse than Kakashi-sa... sensei damn't."

"That's not true. I'm only doing this to you my love. Kakashi-san does to almost any woman with a pulse," said Haku, flipping off the sheets and displaying her beautiful and naked body. Naruto covered his eyes with his hand, but still could not hide the ever growing blood dripping down his nose.

"Ha, I knew you were a pervert too. I just look so damn sexy." Haku mockingly posed in front of Naruto.

"D-damn't H-haku, where s-some damn clothes."

"Aww I'm just joking with you, the couch is a flip-out bed and is way more comfier than this dreadful bed. Oh and I'm borrowing this shirt, 'kay... Ja."

"Damn pervert."

"I love you too." Haku haughtily swung her hips as she walked away towards the couch.

"You know you loved watching me leave." Naruto was caught off guard and fell onto his bed as Haku reappeared a few inches from his face.

"Nighty night, love."

* * *

**"So meatbag, let's get to work. We got about eight to nine hours before the cyclops starts the excer... what are you doing kit?" **Naruto was sitting with his legs crossed and his finger tapping his chin in a contemplative manner.

"I'm deciding what to have for breakfast duh. Besides knowing Kakashi-san, we got like eleven or twelve hours. So does ramen or cereal sound better?"

**"I swear the more I stay in here, I question which one of us is more insane. Me, a fox who willingly destroys villages on a whim, or you, the guy who would discuss breakfast options with said fox."**

"So cereal?"

**"I think that answers my question."**

"I'm thinking of maybe slicing up some banana, maybe Haku would like some. What do you think?"

**"I'm thinking that you're an idiot and you need to train."**

"I think I should rest. Kakashi is a jounin and as lazy as he is, he still has a huge reputation of being one of the villages top shinobi." As good as Naruto was, he knew that he could never match up to Kakashi at his current level. He would need to be at full working capacity to even have a chance of putting up a fight.

**"Fine, but only for today. If you slack off even a little in the future, then I can promise you that the minute I get out of your gut, you will be the first to go."**

_--When I close my eyes i see nothing but demons, but when I fall asleep I see your angelic face. ChronosSoujourner 2008_

* * *

AN: For those who say that Haku is a guy, I just don't see it happening. Haku is way too feminine to not be a girl. Another thing, no they will not be having sex or even have a relationship till they are like fifteen or so. For now it's more of a comic relief kind of thing.

As for Hinata, she will be a little colder in this story. I'm going to change the story a little and have her mother be alive. With her mother alive and the lack of contact with Naruto, it is more logical that she will have the same Hyuuga arrogance as everyone else. Naruto's arsenal of jutsu will be limited to about eight or so, but his tactical knowledge and unique fighting style will make up for that. In fact, he will base all his moves on not wasting chakra. I like writing stories that make sense and are logical. If any part of this story sounds a little out there for you, then comment on it and I will reply as soon as possible.


	2. Chapter 2: Team 7

A Forgone Conclusion

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but that would be totally awesome if I did.

Summary: Naruto is placed in a mental institution after an unfortunate accident. After he is released, he is assigned to a genin team. Who is this girl that keeps following him?

* * *

It was early in the morning and dawn was just peaking through the leaves. The morning mist crawled across the floor of the village. Sounds of bickering could be easily heard coming from the training grounds. Two lone figures were standing near the training posts. The shorter figure, a female, had her arms crossed and her face contorted into a scowl. The taller figure ran his fingers through his long spiky hair.

"I'm telling you pocky is so much better than that garbage ramen you eat all the time," the irate girl said.

"Haku you're delusional. Take that back, ramen is the food of the gods," said the man waving his arms frantically for emphasis.

"Whatever, just go train Naruto-koi."

Naruto crouched low to the ground with one of his arms placed on his back and the other hand placed firmly on the ground. With a flick of a wrist, a bunch senbon appeared from his sleeves and took point in each of his fingers. He ran towards the training post, still low to the ground and his arm still positioned on his spine.

He drew sugi(1) from its point and swung it at the post. Sou(2) , was cocked back and replaced his hind arm. With each step that he took a similar pattern seemed to occur. each arm swinging at the post in a simultaneous and fluid motion. The post recieved many thin but very deep incises.

The blond swung ante towards the ground. The senbon caused the arm to stave. With a secure base, Naruto used his bibu(3) to sway backwards and use an inverted spinning heel kick into the post. Naruto, stood straight up and admired his work. On the post was the kanji for sting and an extremely deep but small hole in the middle.

"Well what do you think Haku?"

"The cuts are still to shallow. These will never kill anyone let alone immobilize."

"Your never pleased are you."

"Nope," she deadpanned, "Oh I think I'll pick up some pocky. I'll see you later." She walked away waving nonchalantly.

"What a baka, what store is open at six in the morning? Guess I'll just go to sleep until Haruno and Uchiha get here." He laid back against a tree and dozed off.

"Who's a baka?" Naruto awokened to see Haku, just within inches of his face.

"I called you a baka, pervert. What, come back to tell me that the stores aren't open yet?"

"Nope, I found a pack in my pocket." She smiled happilly while munching of a stick.

"Your such a baka," he said while slapping his forehead, "How did you become a shinobi in the first place?"

"Uhh, Naruto. Who are you talking to?" Naruto removed his hand from his face. In front of him was Sakura, with no Haku to be seen... again.

"How does she do that?"

* * *

Another hour had passed and Sasuke had arrived. Naruto was staring at the other two while he hung from the branch of a tree and happily ate an apple. When Sasuke had arrived, Sakura forgot how tired and hungry she was and ran to his side. Sasuke sat on a stump with his legs crossed and rested his chin on the top of his hands. Naruto had thought that it was pretty interesting seeing someone try to garner attention from another and get no response.

He mused about when he used to try to grab any attention, even if it was negative. When he was in the SIRC, he had forgotten all about it. He had Haku, Tenzou, and Kakashi. They were hard on him and they each had there oddities, but to Naruto they were family. A very dysfunctional family, but family nonetheless.

Naruto reflected on his time in the nuthouse, as Haku so eloquently put it. He remembered of the first time Haku and him started to create the _Sasori no Bibu_, his fighting style.

Flashback...

The two mental patients were lingering around the garden in the light of the moon. Haku loved the garden, no matter how shabby and rundown it was. The garden was meant for the nurses and orderlies to take breaks in and out of work, but at night the two would always sneak out and walk around the garden. Naruto was always enticed by the reflection of the moon in the small garden pond. It seemed to calm him down after a hard day of training.

"Hey Naruto," it continually surprised Naruto about how frail, weak, and lonely Haku's voice sounded when she was serious.

"Yeah..."

"If you ever get out of here, promise me that you'll be a strong person."

"I'm already strong Haku, didn't you see me at practice? Besides, you'll get out of here too I guarantee it," Haku let out a light chuckle.

"That's not what I meant," she said with a small smile while looking dreamily into the pond, "Hey, why don't we start our own fighting style?"

"Why?"

"Why not? I mean if we use a common fighting style or use someone else's, then it'll be easier for your opponents to predict your moves."

"How will we create a fighting style, we don't even have time."

"That's easy, I know it'll cut into our alone time but if we can think of how to improve the fighting style during the day, then we can put them into practice at night."

They thought of every possible style that would accentuate both their strengths and cover their weaknesses. At first Naruto had suggested strong heavy blows. Haku argued that would be okay, if either of them had the strength and if their opponent was slow.

Haku inquired that they should use quick, fast strikes and agile stances like a true shinobi. Naruto couldn't really find a problem with Haku's type of fighting and eventually Naruto was swayed to Haku's side of the argument, but stated that if their opponent was strong enough they could take the hits with little to no difficulty. This minor setback had them rethink the fighting style that they shoud use. Both of them were not physically strong enough to handle that kind of fighting. They needed something in their fighting style to give them an edge in a battle and inflict some damage on an opponent.

One day, while eating in the cafeteria, Naruto saw a man holding three forks held between each of his fingers trying to fend off the nurses. This incident gave Naruto an idea of how to make the fighting style work. He told Haku immediately that the way for it to work, they needed to incorperate some form of weapon into the fighting style. That's how the senbon were introduce to their unorthodox style.

It was the perfect weapon, it was small, light, and still could create a cut just as fatal as a kunai but more accurately and precisely. The stance followed through easier, Haku got the idea from the way ninjas run and how specific animals run. Apparently if you leaned forward you would go faster. And if you were lower to the ground, it would force your body to take longer strides.

After many months of planning and constructing, the two young children only had gotten as far as a proper stance for the style, the name, and one set of strikes. They completed the first two attack sets and the first defense set, just a year before Naruto was released and Haku's mysterious escape.

Flashback End...

While he was recollecting about the past, one Hatake Kakashi had arrived. Naruto broke out his stupor to notice the man arrive. The pink haired girl had been yelling at the masked ninja for the past few minutes. Kakashi predictably came up with some poor excuse and ignored the following shout. Naruto dropped down from the tree branch he was hanging from and landed next to Sasuke.

"Okay, now that everybody is here... can someone wake up Naruto?" Indeed Naruto had fallen asleep. He was still standing up and appeared to look attentive, but if one were to look under his hair they would see that his eyes had been closed. If they were to listen a little more intently, they could hear the light snoring from underneath the blond boy's bandages.

These are one of the things that Kakashi had known about Naruto since he was a child. The one thing that was just as odd as his insomniac lifestyle, was his narcoleptic habits. Two things that really conflicted the other. He stayed up almost all hours but would fall asleep at random intervals, and then would wake up as if it were nothing.

* * *

"Okay now that everyone is paying attention. Let me explain the rules," Kakashi reached into his vest and took out an alarm clock and two bells, "This clock is set for noon. Which means you have roughly two and a half hours to get these two bells from me. Anyone who gets a bell passes and those who don't get a bell don't get lunch and will be tied to one of the posts over there."

"_That's why he told us not to eat,_" this thought passed through the minds of both Sakura and Sasuke.

"But sensei, there is only two bells."

"Very good observation Sakura, I guess one of you will get sent back to the academy," Kakashi said sarcastically while smiling his annoying eye smile. This had piqued Sasuke's interest.

"_That means I'll be rid of one of these losers. They would just hold me back,_" thought the ebony haired genin-to-be.

"Oh and please come at me with the intent to kill. If you don't, then you don't have a chance of getting one of these bells.Okay when I say go, you three begin. Now ready, set... Naruto wake up... GO!"

Sakura and Sasuke both took refuge in the foliage of the nearby forests. Naruto stayed put and had fallen asleep once again. Kakashi slowly approached the sleeping child in front of him and wanted to inform him that they had already begun the test. He jerked back when he saw Naruto move, but instead of waking up and attacking Naruto fell onto his back and continued to doze off. Kakashi crouched over the sleeping boy. He was on full alert when he saw Naruto move his hand. Naruto brought his hand to his face and moved the bandages over his eyes. Kakashi tilted his head to the side in confusion and left to find the others. As he was walking away, he sensed a kunai head in his direction. Kakashi lazily caught the kunai by it's ring and pocketed the weapon in his holster. He turned around to face the blond boy positioned in an unfamiliar fighting stance.

"That's a very unique stance, Naruto."

"Un..." was Naruto's only response. He swayed heavily to each side as he ran towards Kakashi, his senbon glinting in the morning sun. Kakashi took a step back and reached into the pouch on his hip. Naruto skidded to a halt when he felt that Kakashi had reached for something. Kakashi brought his hand out of the pouch to reveal his new, limited edition... Icha Icha Paradise. A little annoyed at the blatant disrespect and unethical, perverted behaviour, Naruto began to sway once more as he ran towards Kakashi. His senbon fully brandished and hidden beneath his large cloak.

"Chijou Dageki," Naruto brought his sugi towards the ground and secured a base. He then torqued his body and brought his bibu towards Kakashi's face. Kakashi grabbed the heel with no problem and kept on reading his novel. He then felt a slight pain in his wrist.

"Damn't that hurt, you have metal guards in there don't you?" Naruto didn't respond and flipped back into his stance. He ran back at Kakashi and brought his sou towards the floor of the ground before Kakashi and swung his sugi across nicking Kakashi in the shins. Kakashi felt a much bigger stinging pain from the small scratch.

"Kan (_First_)."

"And senbon. You never cease to amaze me. I don't know what you did, but you got me. I guess I'll have to take this a little more seriously."

_"He's slowing down, better take advantage of this."_

Naruto continued to fluidly attack in his rhythmic pattern, occasionally attacking with his bibu. Kakashi narrowly dodged each strike, in hopes of incapacitating Naruto. Hoping to finish it quickly and not waste anymore chakra than necessary, Naruto swung his 'claws' around in a repetitive circle.

"Hissatsu(4)" After gaining enough distance, Naruto used the momentum from his rotations to add a spin on his bibu and use the back off his heel to strike Kakashi. Kakashi ducked and grabbed the back of Naruto's calf. Naruto cursed under his breath. Kakashi brought his fist down towards Naruto's face. His eyes widened, because at the last second... Naruto was grinning. As he was bringing his fist down, Naruto's body disappeared in a veil of smoke.

"Doku Bunshin(5)." Kakashi was glad that he wore a mask everyday as he escaped the poisonous gas. When the smog cleared the field, Naruto was nowhere to be seen.

_"Kuso, he's too strong. I expected my clone to last a little longer and I'm starting to run low on chakra. I guess I will need some help."_

Naruto fled the scene in search of his future teammates. In the course of his search, Naruto saw a small glint from afar. He moved towards the light and found one of the silver bells on the ground. Even though he knew it was a trap, his curiousity got the better of him. Trembling, Naruto tried to will his hand away from the aforementioned object. With his impulsive tendency domineering over his cold, hard logic; Naruto reached out for the bell with an inane grin plastered on his face. Predictably, the bell triggered a trap that caused Naruto to be caught in a snare, the noose of the rope wrapping immediately around his ankles.

"Weeeeeeeeeee," Naruto laughed loudly as his body was kept hung, dangling from a branch. His smile never left his face.

"Naruto, that plan of your's was pretty ingenious. When did you make a clone...hmmm?" Kakashi looked up at Naruto as he picked up the bell.

"Hmmmm? Asleep again Naruto?" Kakashi chuckled slowly as he saw his future charge fall asleep.

"_Such a smart boy and yet so stupid?"_

* * *

Sasuke was hidden on a branch that overlooked the area that Kakashi and Naruto had battled. He gritted his teeth in anger when he saw how well Naruto had done going toe to toe with their sensei, but was slightly confused as to why Naruto would fall for such a blatantly obvious trap. He did not let that distract him though, he would just have to show how that he was the superior of the three. Sasuke patiently waited on that branch for any sign of vulnerability in Kakashi.

When Kakashi had thought he was alone once more, he brought out his favorite novel to read. Sasuke smirked and reached into his holster for a handful of kunai and shuriken. And with quick flick of a wrist he threw the projectiles at Kakashi. A loud thunk resonated across the field indicating that Sasuke had indeed hit his target. But as he was ready to leave the covering of the trees, Kakashi's body dissipated into smoke and had cleared to reveal that Sasuke had hit a log.

"_Shit, he knows where I am now." _Knowing that he had been spotted and no longer having the element of surprise, Sasuke retreated deeper into the backwoods of the training grounds.

Sakura had been desperately searching for her 'love' since the beginning of the test, with high hopes of them working together and leaving the new kid to be sent back to the academy. Unbeknownst to her though, her future sensei had been watching her very movements currently and was plotting on how he would approach Sakura. Kakashi went through a small set of handseals.

"_Magen: Narukumi no Jutsu(6)." _

Sakura had walked into an empty glade, when suddenly a gust of wind surrounded her. The swirling of leaves hypnotized her and left her in a daze. When she had stopped spinning, a raspy voice had broken her out of her daze. She could vaguely hear the voice, but it sounded very familiar to her. Curious, Sakura walked closer to where the voice had originated from.

"...S...Saku..ra.." She walked on, her heart beating fast. It sounded like Sasuke, oh how excited Sakura was.

"...S...S...Sa..kura..." She continued and past through a thick bush. The sight before her brought her to her knees. Before Sakura was Sasuke, blood gushing out of the many wounds on his body. Sasuke was crawling on the floor, his eyes glazed over and his hand reaching out to Sakura. Many kunai were embedded to his back and blood flowed freely from both sides of his mouth.

His tattered clothes was drenched in his blood and his headband, which signified that he was a full fledged ninja, lay next to him crushed and utterly destroyed. Sakura could feel tears start to form from her eyes as she let out an ear splitting scream, right before she passed out. After she had passed out, Kakashi crouched down next to her.

"I guess I overdid it," he said while scratching his head sheepishly.

* * *

Kakashi was lazing around, laying his back against a tree while leisurely reading his 'gift from kami'. He looked from his reading when he heard someone heading towards him. In front of him, was Sasuke Uchiha and then went back to his reading. Obviously irritated at being ignored, Sasuke threw a kunai at Kakashi. With almost no effort, Kakashi let the kunai near just before he moved his head to the left. The kunai embedded itself deep into the tree that he was resting upon.

"I'll admit, your pretty accurate. But that won't get you a bell. Though I am glad that you are taking my advice seriously." He pushed himself off of the tree and dusted his pants.

"I'm not like the others."

"Really now? We'll never know until you try." Kakashi pocketed his book once again. Sasuke ran towards the man and threw a right jab. Kakashi caught the incoming fist and threw Sasuke in the air. Sasuke torqued his body and delivered a roundhouse kick, which Kakashi blocked with his forearm. Sasuke flipped off of his forearm and hurled a handful of kunai. Kakashi withdrew the kunai from the tree and blocked all the kunai that Sasuke had thrown.

Aggravated, Sasuke jumped back towards Kakashi and went through a slew of handseals. Kakashi recognized the technique and immediately went on gaurd.

"_A gennin shouldn't have that much chakra!"_

"_Katon:Gokakyu no Jutsu (7)," _Sasuke exhaled a large fireball that swallowed Kakashi in. Sasuke smirked. After the fire had died down, the smirk that had adorned him was quickly erased. Before him was a small crater. The only thing that was missing from the crater was Kakashi's body.

"_Where is he. Left, right, up..."_

"Try down!" Two hands shot up from below the ground beneath Sasuke and grabbed his ankles.

"_Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu (8),_" The hands dragged Sasuke below the ground and left him up to his neck.

"Stay there like a good boy, 'kay Sasuke." Kakashi eye smiled and then walked away. He then heard the sound of the bell ring.

"Oh looks like all you guys fail, but I'm feeling generous today. After Naruto and Sakura wake up and they dig you out, one of you will be tied to the post and the rest will get to eat."

* * *

After Sakura and Naruto had woken up, Kakashi had told them to get Sasuke. When both of them got to Sasuke, Sakura fainted again, thinking that Sasuke was a disembodied head. Naruto on the other hand broke out laughing... until he fell asleep, again. When all of them had woken up/unburied, they walked to the posts where Kakashi was currently sitting at.

"Oh so you finally got out huh?" Sasuke was fuming, he was sore from being stuck in the ground, he was covered in dirt and mud, and he had to listen to Sakura ask for a date the whole time that they were walking. Naruto, however, was having a blast. His sensei was strong and fast, his teammate got stuck in a hole, he didn't have to talk to Sakura at all, he got a free ride courtesy of Kakashi, and he got to go to sleep.

"Do you know why you three failed? I'll tell you why, Naruto... you're just weird, Sasuke you were so arrogant that you thought that your other two teammates were beneath you and decided that you could take me all on your own..." Before Sasuke could protest, Kakashi had tied him down to one of the posts, "This test was about teamwork. Normally

"Okay, team. Now that I've tied Sasake to the post, I'm going to give you three a second chance. But before you three fight, I'll let you eat the lunch that I had prepared earlier. The only stipulation for eating is that you are not allowed to feed Sasuke. You feed himand you fail." With that said, Kakashi left the three alone. Sasuke had watched the other two eat and tried his hardest to not look hungry. But that is kinda hard to pull off when you are tied to a post.

"Naruto! What are you doing?" Naruto was happily smiling as he attempted to feed Sasuke.

"I want to feed the pet."

"You baka. Do you want us to fail?"

"Aww, Kakashi-sensei won't see us." Sasuke was constantly trying to avoid Naruto's attempts at trying to feed him. He calmed down when he saw that Naruto wasn't trying to shove food down his throat. Then, out of nowhere a ball of rice landed on his face.

"Naruto! Why did you do that?" Sakura was furious that Naruto had thrown a food at Sasuke.

"Well since Sasuke didn't want to be fed, I decided to turn feeding him into a game. I thought it would be funny."

"You idiot."

"Well if he eats, then he won't be a liability when we fight sensei. Besides we're a team."

"Here." Sakura offered Sasuke her food. Sasuke debated whether or not to take the food. Instead of denying the food, Sasuke ate the small portion that the two had offered, to hell with the consequences. After he had eaten, a bolt of lightning erupted from the sky. Emerging from the sudden flash of light was their Sensei.

"YOU... pass." This left the three new genins with a puzzled expression.

"What?"

"Well Sakura, this test was about teamwork. Instead of following orders, you two thought about the needs of the team, rather than failing and that's the true purpose of this test." Kakashi walked over towards a giant slab of marble with many names engraved on it.

"On this stone is the names of many herioc shinobi..."

"That sounds cool I want to be on that stone," Naruto looked on smiling like an idiot.

"All of the shinobi on this memorial are KIA. Some of my best friends are on this memorial. In fact, everyone precious to me is dead," the three new genins, looked on at the memorial with a downcasted expression.

"The ninja world is a dangerous place. Blood and death is normal for us, but it never gets easier. I want you three to know this, a great man once said to me that those who fail their mission are trash but those that abandon their friends... are worse than trash."

"Now get home, we start missions tomorrow."

"_Those three will do great things,_"thought Kakashi as he watched the retreating forms of his new pupils, "_What do you think Minato-sensei?_"

* * *

"Team 8 led by Yuuhi Kurenai... passed."

"Team 9 is still in circulation from last year, so how about you Asuma?"

"Team 10 led by Sarutobi Asuma... passed." After that was said a figure arrived from behind, pushing through the crowd of jounin.

"Ah so you finally decide to turn up now, huh Kakashi. So what's your excuse this time?"

"Well hokage-sama, I was helping a pregnant lady in labor to the hospital and then I broke my leg on the way here, so I had to go back to the hospital and get the medic-nin to heal me. After that I crossed paths with a black cat, so I took the long way around when I suddenly noticed that I was lost on the road of life." Every one of the jounin shook their head in embarrassment for the poor, pathetic excuse.

"So what about your team? Did you fail them again?"

"Team 7 led by Hatake Kakashi... passed." Everyone in the room was shocked. Kakashi had actually passed a team.

"Oh my god! Kakashi passed a team. Hokage-sama, now if Anko stopped her dango addiction then we know that we have to prepare for the end of the world," yelled out a random jounin.

"Oh coincidentally on a side note, Anko?"

"Yes hokage-sama?"

"The dango stand apparently had a mishap and won't have dango for another three weeks." Anko fainted, falling onto Kakashi. The other jounin panicked, knowing that Anko without dango was like Kakashi without Icha Icha.

* * *

"So how did it go Naruto-koi? Naruto? Naruto... Asleep again?"

* * *

Moves and Meanings:

_Tail of the Scorpion _or _Sasori no Bibu (incomplete, ? Rank, Taijutsu Style)_- The strange taijutsu that is only unique to Naruto. The creation of this taijutsu was made sometime during his incarceration and is only fully known by his close friend Haku, as she apparently helped create it. It is unknown if Haku is able to use it. Many times when Naruto is talking about the senbon that is used, he calls it his _claws._

The main stance is one that mimics a scorpion. One arm in front acts as a sonar and senses vibrations and is meant to distract the opponent (Naruto is not that adept at this form of fighting, but tries) and the other is placed on the back and is the main use of offence. The Tail or Bibu is mostly used as the final strike and the sole of the Bibu conceals a metal gaurd. Naruto is still in the progress of completing this taijutsu and has only perfected two different forms of attack and defense.

The attacks are referred to as _Chijou Dageki_ (Above Ground Strike) and _Koukuukougeki _(Air Strike). The defense stances are referred to as _Kuroji Boubi (_Black Ground Defense) and _Boukuu__ (_Air Defense). Some aspects of the attack is based off of Naruto's abnormal reserves. Knowing this, he 'steals' his opponents chakra every time he strikes by adding chakra too his senbon (this takes a large amount of control and chakra). In reality though, Naruto uses his chakra to destroy his opponent's chakra, instead of absorbing it. He doesn't use this technique much due to the amount of chakra it exhausts, but does it when the time calls for it.

Note: Whenever Naruto hits something, he says the number of strikes. This is relevant to how much energy his opponent has left, or so he says. He calculates that a normal shinobi should be able to take about forty-two strikes.

1. _Ante _or _Sugi_- In Naruto's fighting style, this refers to the arm on the back.

2. _Prece _or_ Sou-_In Naruto's fighting style, this refers to the arm in the front and on the ground.

3. _Tail _or _Bibu_- In Naruto's fighting style, this refers to the leg opposite of the Ante.

4. _Certain Kill _or _Hissatsu_- In Naruto's fighting style, this refers to the final attack in each attack set. It's called a certain kill, because of it's original intention is to kill on contact, usually in a vital spot; if not, it inflicts damage spread over a large area.

5. _Poison Clone _or _Doku Bunshin (A Rank, Ninjutsu)_- A special type of clone made of a poisonous gas that, like a kage bunshin, creates a physical clone that can be controlled by the user. Some major flaws of the doku bunshin is the amount of control and chakra that is needed. It uses a lot of chakra due to it's substance being gas. Another major flaw that is easily noticed by most ninja above genin, is that the doku bunshin produces a strange chakra residue around the eyes that can be seen even without a doujutsu, hence why Naruto hid his eyes. (He was taught this, amongst a few other jutsus, by Tenzou).

6. _Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing technique _or _Magen: Narukumi no Jutsu (D Rank, Genjutsu)- _This jutsu causes the target to see a horrifying vision. First, an imaginary circle of leaves will spin around and envelop the target, falling away shortly after. After a short period, the illusion will begin. This is to make the illusion more convincing, since the user will likely have moved before the illusion sets in.

7. _Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique _or _Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (C Rank, Ninjutsu)- _A technique that signifies an Uchiha as an adult. The technique utilizes a large amount of chakra and takes an extremely long time (for a shinobi) to use. It is primarily used to burn the remains of missing nin. After the user finishes the necessary seals, the user places their hand near their mouth. They then blow into the fist, the chakra acts as a flammable substance and the user's breath acts as the flint. This is the reason why the mouth isn't burned. Afterwards, a large fireball consumes the affected area.

8. _Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique _or _Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu (D Rank, Ninjutsu)- _The user, emerging from the ground below the target, pulls down (or swaps places with) the target so that only the target's head is above ground.

**AN: **Sorry I took so long, but many things distracted me. One, finals... the bane of all students. Two, every time I try to start this chapter that bottle of alcohol just keeps staring me in the face. Three, the following hangover. Four, sleeping. Five, laziness. Okay, now for explanation time. Naruto's lack of chakra? I tried to make a child's body just that, a child's body. He has abnormally high chakra reserves for a genin, but that's just it, a _genin._Anyway, I'm not really good with fight scenes so just bear with me okay.

As for the doku bunshin, I thought it was too convenient of a technique. So that it wouldn't be too cheap, I made it have weaknesses such as chakra requirement and the residue idea is solely my original idea. The wave arc is still going to take place and yes Haku will make an appearance during the wave arc. Some of you have been wondering as to what Haku is... well I can't say without revealing anything, so I'm going to leave you guessing. This chapter though is just to give you guys a chapter.

This chapter is sort of like a filler, or a character/fighting depth revealment sort of thing. I was actually going to skip this scene and just vaguely mention it every once in a while, but I thought certain scenes would be funnier. Naruto's narcolepsy is a joke. It's supposed to make fun of Gaara. Even though Naruto seems like he stays up late to others, he actually sleeps more than he is awake. Coincidently, Naruto usually falls asleep when others aren't around or (usually for comic relief) right in front of them.


	3. Chapter 3: Our first real mission

A Forgone Conclusion

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but that would be totally awesome if I did.

Summary: Naruto is placed in a mental institution after an unfortunate accident. After he is released, he is assigned to a genin team. Who is this girl that keeps following him?

* * *

The Hokage tower was lively this morning. Why you ask? Well Team 7 had just completed another mission with the capture of, what Sakura had dubbed the creature, 'the demon cat from hell'. Every other week or so the cat of the lord's wife, Madam Shinji, would escape and would hire the aid of young genin to capture the wayward animal. Most shinobi wondered how the animal had lived such a long life, as it was a well known fact that the poor animal would recieve a backbreaking hug as soon as it was returned. Sakura and Sasuke however, felt that the animal had deserved such treatment and even encouraged the woman to crush her pet, stating that the cat must miss her.

"Shinji-sama, I have to say that you must stop hugging poor Tora-chan like that. Not to be rude or anything, but the poor little cat probably runs away after it gets one of those hugs." Sakura and Sasuke glared at their strange teammate for letting the 'demon' live, but let it go when Naruto may have just put an end to this pointless string of cat retrieval missions.

"Good going Naruto. Keep this up and we won't have to do this anymore," Sakura cheerfully whispered into his ear.

"Aww, but I like playing with Tora-chan. She is so fluffy and nice."

"You think that... that thing is nice! That thing almost clawed my face off and you think that thing is nice!"

"Tora-chan would never do such a horrible thing." Kakashi was looking off to the side, embarrassed at the morning antics of his students.

"Even Sasuke-kun would agree with me, right Sasuke?" asked Sakura to Sasuke.

"Hn," was his only response to her.

"Ahem... Anyway, Hatake Kakashi and team 7 reporting from cat retrieval mission: Tora. Ready to recieve our next mission Hokage-sama." That was what came out of his mouth, but what he had really been thinking at the time was...

"_I wonder when Jiraiya-sama will come out with a new book.._" If Kakashi had ever learned anything from Obito and Rin, it was to memorize what you say and then zone out when you talk. He remembered when those two would finish a conversation with their sensei and then would ask Kakashi what their sensei had said. He always thought of it as annoying, but now found a use for it.

"Now Kakashi and team 7 your next duty is babysitting an elders grandson, shopping in a nearby village, or helping with the potato digging."

"Sumimasen Hokage-sama, but can we have a higher mission? These missions are a bore and I want something more fun," asked Naruto in a surprisingly polite tone.

"_Bipolar... Polite to fun loving lunatic. What a really great addition to this already dysfunctional team of mine._"

"_For once I agree with the idiot. These pointless missions will only hinder my growth," thought Sasuke._

"No way! You three are just rookies, you guys aren't ready for the dangers of the ninja world. You have to work your way up to those missions, but first you have to build up teamwork with D..." The rest of what Iruka had said fell on deaf ears as team 7 was conversing amongst themselves.

"Well you see Naruto, this just isn't a book, it's a work of a..."

"Pay attention!"

"I'm sorry Iruka-san, but what you were saying was boring and didn't sound fun," said Naruto scratching his head sheepishly.

"Well I do have a C rank mission. It's a protection mission of a certain individual," the old kage muttered quietly.

"Hokage-sama, you can't be serious. It's far too dangerous to assign genin straight out of the academy a bodygaurd mission."

"Don't worry Iruka, I'm sure that this will be a good learning experience for these three and if anything gets out of hand, then Kakashi-san here will be more than enough to handle the problem."

"I hope the guy we're protecting is funny, because if he isn't then this will be a very long mission."

"Calm down Naruto I'll introduce him. Hey, will you come in here?" The door opened and a man with a large pack and a bottle of sake in one hand walked in. He was an old man, if the gray hair was any indication. The man had a large build, calloused hands, and grungy facial hair.

"These are the professional bodygaurds I hired? They're just a bunch of brats, especially that freak with the bandages for a mask," said the man in a gruff voice.

"Whose the freak with the bandages for a mask?" Naruto looked around when he finally realized who the old man was talking about.

"Me?" He pointed to himself.

"Yes you, unless another person with bandages walks into this room." Instead of getting mad like a normal person would, Naruto laughed.

"Hahaha, your funny old man. What's your name?"

"I am the super bridge builder Tazuna and I expect you to protect me until I get back to my country and finish my bridge," said the old man while taking a swig from his bottle of sake. The hokage grabbed hold of Kakashi's shoulder as the group prepared to leave.

"Kakashi, I want you to remember Naruto's... condition," whispered the old man.

"Don't worry I got it all under control. His condition is nothing, just a little abnormal," said the jounin as he turned to face the old man with an eye smile.

"Now if you don't mind hokage-sama, we've got a mission to do and I'd like to be on time perhaps." As they left the Hokage just sighed.

"The three Narutos (1) is going to be annoying for him I know it."

* * *

"I'm so excited. I finally get to get out of the village."

"You've never been outside of the village Naruto? Not even during the daimyo's anniversary festival?" asked the pink haired girl.

"Nope."

"What! Have you been living under a rock? Even orphans have been to the festival."

"Well, I'm out now so what's passed has passed," smiled the cheery blonde.

"Am I really safe with these brats?" asked Tazuna as he took another swig of his bottle.

"Don't worry, I am a jounin after all," said the silver-haired ninja as he looked up from his book.

"Umm... Tazuna-san?

"What?"

"You're from Nami, right?" asked Sakura.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Umm... Kakashi-sensei, do they have shinobi in Nami?"

"Not in Nami country. But in most other countries, the culture and customs may be different, but hidden villages still exist and so do shinobi. To many countries of the continent, the existence of a shinobi village means military power. This is how they hold and maintain an advantage over each other.

But, it's not that the villages rule the countries, they merely stand equally with the country's government. A small island such as Nami doesn't recieve much interference from the larger countries and therefore may not need a shinobi village. Within the shinobi villages, Konoha, Kiri, Kumo, Suna, and Iwa are large and powerful and are considered the five great shinobi villages

And these are the only countries whose leader receives the name 'kage'. The 'Five Kages', Hokage, Mizukage, Raikage, Kazekage, and Tsuchikage, these are the names of the leaders that reign over the thousands of ninja of the world." Kakashi continued to lecture the team about shinobi.

"_That old man is the strongest? Sounds sketchy..._" thought Sakura.

"_No way the hokage is that strong..._" thought Sasuke.

"_...zzzzz..."_

"You three... err two just doubted Hokage-sama, didn't you?" Sakura and Sasuke shook their heads furiously, "... can someone wake up Naruto. It isn't very healthy for someone to fall asleep, especially while walking."

"Naruto wake up..." Naruto rubbed his eyes and yawned.

"(Yawn) Sorry Kakashi-sensei, but all that stuff sounded so boring that I couldn't manage to keep myself awake."

"Well anyway, don't worry Sakura, there won't be any ninja combat on a C rank mission," said Kakashi as he patted Sakura on her head.

"Then we won't come into contact with foreign ninja?" asked the girl once more.

"Of course not. Besides most of the time people hire us out of paranoia." Tazuna somberly looked towards the ground, using the straw hat that he was wearing to veil his facial expression. The rest of the team walked in front of Kakashi and while walking, Kakashi took notice of a lone puddle at the side of the road.

"_Strange it hasn't rained in weeks,_" thought the masked nin as he kept walking with the rest of his team. Then, two figures emerged from the puddle and one of them leaped over the team with a chain attached to a gauntlet that adorned his arm. The chain had wrapped around Kakashi.

"What?!" The two didn't let Kakashi say another word as they yanked the chain, tearing into Kakashi and effectively killing him.

"One down," said one of the figures. Naruto yawned, and opened his eyes. In front of him were two shinobi, both appeared in very unique attire. Both wore one giant metallic gauntlet with claws that connected to the other's gauntlet by means of a chain. A gas mask adorned the face of both shinobi.

"Two down," said both the figures as they reappeared behind Naruto.

"I knew this mission was going to be fun old man," Naruto grinned. Sasuke ran at the two mysterious shinobi and threw a shuriken, implanting the shuriken and the two shinobi's chain to a nearby tree. He then jumped into the air and threw a kunai into center hole of the shuriken, so that the shuriken would be stick.

"I'm stuck," said one of the figures as he tried to attack Naruto. Sasuke then landed on the two shinobi's gaunlets.

"Oi Sasuke, don't hog all the action to yourself. I want to get in too," said Naruto still grinning. Before Sasuke could continue, Naruto faded out of existence and reappeared behind Sasuke, standing on the gauntlets.

"Hn." Sasuke stared at Naruto and nodded, both boys cocked their fist back. It seemed as if they would hit each other until they turned to each opposing enemy and punched them straight in the face.

"How did you know I was going to hit the other guy?"

"I didn't," said Naruto sticking his tongue out. The falling shinobi looked at each other and simultaneously detached the chain that binded the two. The two then ran towards Tazuna. Naruto quickly appeared in front of Tazuna, but was cut across his arm. The other shinobi was still heading towards Tazuna. Sakura pushed out in front of Tazuna, closed her eyes, and awaited impact. The blow never came. Instead, in front of her was her sensei with both attacking shinobi in his arms.

"_Phew I'm saved,_" sighed the bridge builder.

"_Kawarimi, what fun this mission is,_" smiled the whiskered blonde.

"Nice job team. Naruto, we have to clean that wound. These claws of theirs was soaked in poison and we have to remove the poison from your body before it spreads. Please, don't move much or the poison will spread faster," said Kakashi as he tied the two shinobi up, "... Tazuna-san."

"What is it?"

"I need to talk to you. These two shinobi, they look like chuunin from Kiri. Shinobi known to keep fighting no matter what the cost."

"How did you read our movements?" asked one of the Kiri shinobi.

"It's quite sunny today and add to the fact that it hasn't rained in days... I would have to know that there wouldn't be a puddle in the middle of the road."

"If you knew that, why did you let the brats fight?" asked Tazuna.

"If I wanted to, I could kill these two instantly but... There was something I had to find out," Kakashi's face tightened into a more serious expression and looked towards Tazuna, "... who these two were after."

"What do you mean?" asked Tazuna as he started to sweat a little.

"Were they after you, or one of us? Our mission parameters never specified that shinobi would be after you. We were only supposed to protect you from thieves or gangs. This is at least a B rank mission. This was supposed to be simple protection, until you finished the bridge. If it was known that ninjas would be after you, then this mission would have been set as the more expensive B rank mission. I'm sure you have your reasons, but it causes problems when you lie about the mission." Kakashi looked away onto the road.

"We are now operating outside our duties."

"Sensei we aren't ready for this kind of mission, let's quit. We need to get Naruto to a doctor anyway and remove the poison," said Sakura.

"You may be right, this might be to much. I guess we should head back to the village to treat Naruto. I mean it looks like a pretty nasty cut."

"Oi sensei, we can't stop now. I'm having too much fun," grinned Naruto.

"This isn't a game Naruto, we have to get that wound treated," yelled Sakura. Naruto grabbed the kunai that was stuck in the tree and held it high above his head.

"Wait Naruto stop!" Naruto stabbed the kunai into his arm.

"Naruto... it's good that you released the poison and all, but anymore and you'll die from lack of blood," said Kakashi.

"Naruto are you a masochist or something. What were you thinking," yelled the pink haired genin.

"Ne, you two worry to much. Just wrap it up and let's continue with this mission."

"Well, it could be infected. I mean you did use a kunai that was stuck inside a tree. That can't be sanitary." Kakashi grabbed Naruto's arm and examined it. He raised his eyebrow when he noticed that red chakra was slowly closing up the wound.

"Sensei, just take a picture, wrap it up, and go. I'm getting impatient."

"I want to talk to you," Tazuna spoke up, "It's about the mission."

"You're right, this job is most likely outside of your duties. It turns out that a super dangerous man is after my life."

"A super dangerous man? Who?"

"You've probably at least have heard his name before... the wealthy shipping magnate Gatou."

"Huh?! Gatou..." Kakashi's eye widened in shock, "... from that Gatou Company. He's said to be one of the worlds extremely wealthy people."

"Yes, officially he runs a shipping company. But secretly he sells drugs and other illegal items using ninjas and gang members to take over businesses and countries. He's a very nasty man. It was about a year ago when he set his site on the Wave country and through money and violence, he quickly took control of the country's shipping industry. Gatou now has a monopoly on all business traffic in the country. The only thing he fears now, is the completion of the bridge."

"I see, since your building the bridge your in the way," said Sakura with an inquisitive look.

"So, those ninja were hired by Gatou?" said Sasuke.

"Oh yes, this is so going to be fun," said Naruto as he cracked his knuckles.

"What I don't understand is that if you knew that ninja were after you, then why did you have to hide that fact when you hired us?" asked Kakashi

"Wave is a very poor country, even the feudal lord doesn't have much money. Of course we wouldn't be able to pay for a B rank mission. Well, if you quit this mission, then I will definitely be killed but..." Tazuna looked on at the team of shinobi and smiled, "Don't worry about it! If I die, my super cute ten year old grandson will only cry for a few days..."

"_He's really laying it on thick..._" thought Sasuke.

"Oh yeah, and my daughter will live a sad life forever hating Konoha ninja..."

"_Is sensei actually falling for this?_" thought Sakura.

"But it won't be your fault. Not at all!"

"_Hahahahaha, this old guy is hilarious. We got to help him._" thought Naruto.

"Well, I guess we have no choice. We'll protect you at least until you get back into your country. I'll just send a messenger to call for the Anbu to pick up these two. So what do you say team? Should we continue this mission?"

"I say go for it..." said Sasuke.

"If Sasuke thinks we should, then I'll follow his decision."

"I don't care this'll be fun..." said Naruto, "_... and I can't return home. Haku would kill me. She still thinks that I'm doing D rank missions and I'll be back before dinner. Damn I wish I could've told her. Too bad she was asleep, that lazy bum._"

"I win..." muttered Tazuna as he turned away.

* * *

In an undisclosed area, the sounds of arguing could be heard deep within a building hidden deep into the woods. A short man with a cane stormed into the building, followed by two men. All three were wearing very expensive suits and the shortest one looked extremely angry.

"You failed!" exclaimed the short man, "I paid you guys a lot of money, because I heard that you were very strong former ninja." The man before Gatou did not seem amused, but it was really hard to tell when the bandages obscured his facial expressions. The man was sitting in a large comfy chair, and he picked up an immensely large sword that was laying next to him and raised the blade to the face of his employer.

"Stop your bitching. This time, I'll go myself with my Kubikiri Houcho and kill them." The blade was rather impressive. The hilt itself was as long as the man's arm and like it's master, had bandages that adorned it. The blade was long and was thick in width. Near hilt, the blade had a crescent shaped indent that curved into the blade.

"Are you sure? It seems that the enemy has hired some skilled ninjas and with the failure of the Demon Brothers they'll better prepared."

"Who do you think I am? There's a reason why they call me the 'Kiri no Akuma', Momochi Zabuza." he said with a seemingly bored look.

* * *

Team 7 and Tazuna took a boat that would take them the shores of Wave, but like most missions, they needed to be covert and decided to take another route that would lead them to a dock with large area of forestry around.

_rustle, rustle_

"Hey guys, you hear that?"

_rustle, rustle_

"Hear, Naruto?"

_rustle, rustle_

"That."

_rustle, rustle_

"You're just being paranoid."

"Banzai!" Naruto launched himself at a bush.

"Naruto!" Naruto walked out of said bush, scratching the back of his head sheepishly while he held a small white rabbit in the other hand.

"You baka. Look at what you've done, you scared the poor thing you brute," said Sakura.

"Oh well, at least I didn't kill it."

"_That's strange, that is a snow rabbit but it's fur is white and it's spring. A snow rabbit's fur changes depending on the amount of sunlight it recieves and by now the fur should be brown. This rabbit has obviously been kept indoors for the purpose of kawarimi._" thought Kakashi, _"So they're already here._"

"_I see, no wonder the Demon Brothers didn't stand a chance._" From the top of a tree, the figure of Momochi Zabuza could be seen. His hand on the hilt of large sword on his back. He was intently watching the genin team below with much vigor to do away with one famous jounin.

"Everyone get down!" Kakashi pushed Tazuna's head to the ground as the whistling of an overly large sword flew threw the air, threatening to behead anyone who was left standing. The blade embedded itself into a tree and standing there, on the hilt of the blade with his back turned, was the 'akuma' himself. The man wore no shirt except for a leather strap that wrapped around his neck and across his chest but that was to hold his sword. He also wore snow camouflauged arm and leg warmers and bandages for a mask. His hitai-ate was worn loosely tilted over the side of his head. He had abnormally dark skin for someone who resided in Kiri.

"Oh I'm gonna kill this guy," said Naruto with a scowl.

"What's got you so mad little genin?" asked Zabuza.

"You copied me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Wearing bandages for a mask, that's my thing."

"What bandages?" Zabuza was completely confused.

"This!" Naruto pulled the collar of his cloak down to show the bandages that adorn his face. Naruto was ready to charge until Kakashi's hand had stopped him.

"Well well, if it isn't Kiri's missing-nin, Momochi Zabuza. Everybody get back, this one's on a whole different level."

"_Against him,_" Kakashi as he brought his hand to his hitai-ate.

"...This will be a little difficult, unless I do this." He brought his hitai-ate up, revealing a special eye. It was blood red and had three black tomoe surrounding the pupil. A scar ran vertically over his eye.

"Ah so your the famed Sharingan no Kakashi. Sorry but the old man is mine."

"_Sharingan?!_," thought Sasuke incredulously.

"_So exciting, this is the first time I actually get to see the sharingan,_" thought Naruto.

"Surround and protect Tazuna-san, do not enter the fight. That's the teamwork here."

"I'm so honored Hatake, I already get to see that sharingan of yours and we haven't even begun to fight."

"Oi, what's a sharingan?" asked Sakura.

"Sharingan... It is said that some have the ability in their eyes to read and defeat all forms of genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. Sharingan is one of those types of pupils that give you this power. But that's not the only ability the sharingan has," answered Sasuke.

"Huh? What else can it do?"

"Hehe, that kid's right. That's not all the sharingan can do. The scary thing about the sharingan is that it can copy an opponents ability once it sees it. Back when I was still in Kiri's assassination squad, I kept a bingo book and it held a lot of information on you. The man who copied over a thousand jutsu, the Kopi Ninja no Kakashi."

"_The sharingan is a special physical condition that only manifest itself in a select few members of the Uchiha clan. Could he be...?_"

Now, let's get down to business. I have to kill the old man. But it seems that I have to kill you first Kakashi!" Zabuza pulled his blade out of the tree and pushed off of the tree and on top of the lake. Standing still he raised his arm in a seal.

"_Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu _(1)." A laugh could be heard as a thick mist rose and surrounded the area. Zabuza was nowhere to be seen.

"He'll come after me first. Momochi Zabuza, as a member of Kiri, he was known as an expert in the art of silent killing. You don't even notice until your dead. Sometimes you don't even know after your dead. It's not like I've perfected the sharingan, so I want you guys to be extremely careful."

"Eight choices, what should I choose. Liver, lungs, spinal cord, clavical vein, jugular vein, brain, kidneys, and the heart." Kakashi focused a large amount of chakra and blew the mist away.

"_This is crazy. The amount of KI, it's enough to drive a person insane. I feel like I'll be killed if I move. The intensity of a jounin class battle, it feels like my life is being squeezed. I can't take it, I rather die and get it over with..._" Sasuke was trembling and he was slowly bringing his kunai towards himself.

"Sasuke..." Sasuke looked up at Kakashi, "... don't worry, I'll protect you guys with my life," said Kakashi as he looked back at his team, smiling.

"I don't let my comrades die."

"We'll see about that," said Zabuza as he appeared in between the group of genin. As he prepared to swing the zanbatou, Kakashi dashed in front of the group and used a kunai to block the large sword.

"This is no fun, I want to join the fight..." grumbled Naruto.

Kakashi and Zabuza were at a stalemate, neither of them moving an inch. Until, Zabuza's body dissolved into a puddle of water. Zabuza then reappeared behind Kakashi and swung his Kubikiri at him, cutting him in half. Instead of blood spraying out of the corpse, the body of Kakashi turned into a pile of water.

"_Mizu Bunshin _(3)_?! No way! He copied my jutsu in this mist._" A kunai came near Zabuza's throat.

"Don't move. It's over."

"Hehehe, It's over? You don't get it do you, you can't beat me with your cheap imitations. But I must say that I am impressed. When you were talking to your team, you had already copied my mizu bunshin. You had your clone do all the talking to attract my attention while you hid in the mist, a very good plan I must admit... but..." Zabuza's body dissapated into water once more and had reappeared behind Kakashi, "... I'm not that easy to take down..."

"Wow such an exciting match, don't ya think Sakura?"

"Amazing..."

"Hn."

Kakashi ducked as Zabuza swung his sword across. Missing, Zabuza used the momentum of the swing to kick Kakashi while he was down. The kick launched Kakashi into the water. Zabuza chased Kakashi but stop as he saw a trail of makibishi (4).

"Foolish Kakashi," said the swordsman as he jumped into the water as well.

"_So cool..._"

"_He knocked down Kakashi-sensei..._"

"_He's also good at taijutsu..._"

"_This water is so heavy..._"

"Heh fool... _Suiro no Jutsu _(5)." Placing an arm near Kakashi, a ball of water soon engulfed him and trapped him there.

"Escaping into the water was a big mistake. You see, now you are stuck in my inescapable prison. Kinda makes things tougher if you can't move, you know? Now Kakashi, we can finish this later. First, I'll take care of them. _Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu._"

"_He's much stronger than I would've expected,_" thought the sharingan warrior.

"Finally, we get kick some ass. I'm tired of sitting on the sidelines. Right Sasuke?"

"Right Naruto." A clone emerged from one of the puddles leftover from the previous usages.

"Acting like real ninjas and wearing hitai-ate. That doesn't make you a ninja, a ninja is someone who has survived numerous brushes with death. Basically, until you are good enough to even be listed in the bingo book at all then you could be called ninja. You guys shouldn't even call yourselves ninjas." The clone disappeared and kicked Naruto in the face. Naruto disappeared into a puff of smoke.

"Aww damn what a waste. If only you were a real body. My doku bunshin would've definitely worked," Naruto walked out from behind a tree, "Oi Sasuke, I got a plan..."

"No! Run away! This fight was over the moment I was caught. Your duty is to protect Tazuna-san, did you forget that?" yelled Kakashi from within his prison.

"Demo, sensei that's not very fun. Besides I'm pretty sure that if he can kill you, what's to stop him from going after us?"

"Hehe, you guys will never grow up. You still want to continue to play ninja?" Zabuza looked down maliciously at his hand, "When I was about your age, these hands of mine were already stained with blood."

"Akuma... Zabuza," Kakashi uttered under his breath.

"So... you've heard about it."

"Long ago in Kirigakure, also known as the 'Aka Kirigakure' (6), there was one final test in becoming a genin."

"Hmm, so you also no about the gradutation exam?"

"The exam? What did you do?" asked Naruto.

"The exam was to fight to the death between another student," said Zabuza raising his head.

"Sounds fun," grinned Naruto

"Friends that you've trained with, eaten lunch with, shared dreams with, are pitted against each other in battle until one of them loses his or her life."

"That's terrible," said Sakura.

"But ten years ago, this exam was forced to change. You see this change came after the previous year, when the 'akuma' came."

"Ne, sensei what did this 'akuma' do?" asked Sakura.

"A young boy, not even a ninja, without pause or hesitation... slaughtered over a hundred of the students."

"Yes and it felt... so good." said Zabuza.

"_Okay, let's see if this works._" Naruto started throwing a handful shuriken around the whole area.

"_Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu _(7)." The shuriken multiplied and embedded themselves into the many trees.

"Well that was useless Naruto," said Sasuke.

"Nope, look. Now I have a bounce house," Grinned Naruto. Confused, Sasuke looked closely at the shuriken and then noticed that each shuriken had ninja wire tied to them.

"Now, watch me go nuts." Naruto jumped on top of the wires and started to swing and jump from each one and occasionally throwing a kunai at Zabuza's clone who would either dodge or block it with his sword. Kakashi just looked away, completely embarrassed at his student's antics.

"Attack!" Naruto cackled loudly as he jumped from the top of the wires, a kunai fully brandished in one hand. Zabuza pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and kicked the hyperactive boy in the ribs. Naruto slid across the ground and grabbed his pack from his back and threw a giant shuriken at Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes widened in realization.

"_So that's your plan. Brilliant._" Sasuke held the fuma shuriken in front of him. He jumped high into the air, almost touching the ninja wires above.

"_Kage Shuriken no Jutsu _(8)." Sasuke launched the giant weapon.

"A shuriken won't work against me..." the clone looked on as the weapon completely missed him, "... going for the real me, huh? That won't work." Zabuza caught the weapon only to find another shuriken heading towards him.

"Another shuriken hidden in the shadow of the first?!" Zabuza jumped over the shuriken, "...but it's still not going to work." The shuriken then dissapated into smoke to reveal Naruto with a brandished kunai. He then threw the kunai, aiming for Zabuza's arm. Zabuza then withdrew his arm away from the kunai, releasing his water prison.

"You fucking brat, I'll kill you!" He raised the fuma shuriken in his hands until he felt someone stop the large weapon. He looked back to see Kakashi, blocking the blade of the shuriken with the metal gaurd on his gloves.

"Sumimasen sensei, for keeping you waiting, I fell asleep again. You see the minute my clone was dispelled, I had already made a plan. The Naruto that came out from behind the tree was also a clone, a _tsuchi bunshin_ (9).

The clone made the wires to distract until I woken up, then after I woke up the clone entered the tree that I was hidden in and I henged into a fuma shuriken and hid in my bag. After the shuriken was given to Sasuke, he then knew what I had planned. You know the rest."

"Heh, I got distracted and released the jutsu."

"No you were forced to release the jutsu," said Kakashi, "... and I'll tell you now, I won't fall for the same technique twice." The two shinobi jumped away from each other. Zabuza went through a large set of seals with Kakashi imitating every single one of his movements.

"_Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu_(10)," both shinobi said simultaneously. Two large pillars of waters emerged from the lake in the shape of a dragon. Each circled around each other before they both destroyed each other, spraying water everywhere. Sasuke looked on amazed at the strenghth of a jounin level battle, and then face faulted when he saw his teammate once again asleep.

"_How can he sleep through this._" After the explosion, the two shinobi were seen locked in a stalemate until both pulled away. Zabuza ran around, Kakashi mimicing him. Both had come to a stop, Zabuza prepared to use his kirigakure jutsu once more when he saw that Kakashi had copied his movements. He moved to check if Kakashi was completely mimicing him.

"_My movements he's completely..._"

"...reading them."

"_What?! Did he read my mind. That..._"

"... fuckin' eye is pissing me off... right?"

"All your doin' is copying me. You can't beat me you monkey bastard!" both shinobi said while going through another slew of seals.

"Damn I'll make it so that you can't open that damn mouth again!" Zabuza stopped when he saw an illusion of himself behind Kakashi, also doing seals.

"_Is... is this one of his genjutsu?_" Kakashi finished his seals

"_Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu_ (11),"

"What impossible." A large torrent of water arose and launched itself towards Zabuza, engulfing him with the current. The current slammed him into a tree. Kakashi pinned Zabuza down with a few kunai.

"It's over."

"How... can you see the future?" asked the ex-kiri nin.

"Yes... I see, your death!" Before Kakashi could attack, a few senbon lodged itself into Zabuza's neck. Zabuza head slumped down, before his body fell to the ground altogether.

"Hehe, your right. He's dead." A masked nin jumped down from a branch over the corpse of Zabuza. Kakashi walked towards Zabuza and checked his pulse.

"_He really is dead._"

"Thank you so much. I have been searching for an opportunity to kill Zabuza for a long time."

"That mask... you're a Kiri hunter-nin."

"Impressive... you are correct. I am a member of Kiri's hunter-nin team. My duty is to hunt down missing-nins."

"_The height and voice. That shinobi is not much older than Naruto or Sasuke, yet s/he is a hunter-nin. Not a normal kid._" The hunter-nin grabbed Zabuza's body and slung him over his/her shoulder and used a seal to shunshin away. Kakashi pulled down his hitai-ate.

"Okay team let's head home..." Kakashi then fainted.

"Damn, Sakura carry Naruto. I'll get sensei."

* * *

Moves and Meanings:

1. The Three Narutos- A mental condition of Naruto. Due to medication, mental stress, rehabilitation, and the frail perception of reality, Naruto's mind is split into three entities. They all share the same name and don't refer to the other but one of the same, yet they all have distinct personalities.

(a)Naruto aka original- Normal, talkative, and considered a genius in his own right (picks up things fast, adaptable). Loves to fight, considered insane due to masochism, he thinks injury or inflicting injury is fun. Narcoleptic.

(b)Naruto- A cold, calculative shinobi who goes by the book. Never disobeys orders and talks only when necessary. Also not narcoleptic, which conflicts with original. Eidetic Memory/ Photographic Memory (That's why this entity remembers Naruto's mother.)

(c)Naruto- Lazy, quiet, and reserved. Is seen as narcoleptic but isn't, he just sleeps a lot. Philosophical when spoken to and breaks his finger to make sure he's alive (Haku usually heals the injury). Slightly schizophrenic (This causes his already cryptic speech to become even more confusing, faints when his 'reality' is falsified or changed, and hallucinates IE. yells at random moments.)

Note: Naruto has no control on which entity is currently present and therefore creates problems with people. Sometimes two entities can mix and create a new entity, but has been filed as a sub-entity and doesn't count as its own. This has no effect on his fighting ability, except for b. when he actually thinks at a chuunin to jounin level, fighting ability however remains the same.

2. _Ninja Skill: Hidden Mist Technique _or _Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu _(D rank, Ninjutsu)- This jutsu envelops the surrounding area in a dense mist, causing anyone within to lose the advantage of sight. Though it is a seemingly harmless technique and is a double-edged technique to both user and opponent, a veteran assassin who trained themselves to use sound is very adept to the use of this technique. A small minor weakness to this technique though is that the longer the technique is used, the more chakra is needed. This is due to the fact that, even with a water source nearby, That water molecules would easily dissipate into the air and would need to be replaced by more water, therefore more chakra.

3. _Water Clone _or _Mizu Bunshin _(C rank, Ninjutsu)- Creates one or more identical copies of the user out of water. More similar to Kage Bunshin than to a normal Bunshin, these clones are capable of attacking, except each clone's strength is only one-tenth that of the user. Also, the clones can only be controlled within a certain radius of the user. Another flaw of the mizu bunshin is that it is generally ineffective when not near a water source and power is severely cut.

4. Makibishi- They are like throwing nails, meant to slow down an opponent from running. It has four sides, each containing a spike so that whichever way it falls it would land with a spike facing up.

5. _Water Prison Technique _or _Suiro no Jutsu _(C rank, Ninjutsu)- A move used to trap the victim inside a virtually inescapable prison of water. The only downside to this technique is that the user must keep one arm inside the bubble at all times in order for the victim to remain imprisoned. This Jutsu cannot be performed without a sufficiently large body of water to supply the water for it.

Note: This technique can be performed by a clone, but power is greatly weakened

6. Aka Kirigakure- A name for the mist village for when the final graduation exam was still in effect. It's name means the bloody mist village.

7. _Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique _or _Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu _(A rank, Ninjutsu)- Similar to Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. The user throws one shuriken at the victim and then uses this jutsu to create Kage bunshin of the shuriken to make the attack more powerful.

8. _Shadow Shuriken Technique _or _Kage Shuriken no Jutsu _(D rank, Ninjutsu)- The user of this technique throws multiple large shuriken in such a way that the first shuriken hides the subsequent ones, probably by blocking the line of sight. To the target, it would look like only one shuriken was thrown.

9. _Earth Clone _or _Tsuchi Bunshin _(C rank, Ninjutsu)- Creates one ore more identical copies of the user out of earth material. This clone can take more hits than the normal clone, due to it's composition. It takes a little more chakra to create these clones.

10. _Water Dragon Bullet Technique _or _Suiton: Suiryudan no Jutsu_(B rank, Ninjutsu)- A powerful attack that creates a huge current of water in the shape of a dragon, which is sent towards the opponent. Except when used by extremely powerful ninja, this jutsu can only be done when in or near a body of water.

11. _Water Explosion Technique _or _Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu_(A rank, Ninjutsu)- Creates a massive blast of water. Great for multiple enemies and also the usage of chakra is extremely large.

**AN: **Yay, I finished earlier than expected. I think it's hilarious that Naruto doesn't get to see Haku... yet. I'm not going to say much, because this one followed, for the most part, the original storyline.


	4. Chapter 4: What's her face?

A Forgone Conclusion

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but that would be totally awesome if I did.

Summary: Naruto is placed in a mental institution after an unfortunate accident. After he is released, he is assigned to a genin team. Who is this girl that keeps following him?

* * *

_The cries of terror and screams of anguish filled the night air. In the hospital was a group of people, all surrounding a young woman that held two infants tightly into her breast. A man in formal robes looked on happily at his children. The young red headed woman was fast asleep, her hair disheveled from the birth of the two children from moments ago. The blond man stroked a part of her beautiful red hair away from her face and laid a soft kiss on top of her forehead. His tears dropped onto the face of the child that he had taken from her arms. The child had awoken from the tears of the man._

_"I'm so glad that I am the first thing you see when you woke up... I hope you and your sister grow up to be strong, respectable people. Not just in strength, but also in value and morality." An Anbu in a dog mask appeared behind the blond man, but the blond man did not notice._

_"Hokage-sama, the Kyuubi draws near and the gaurd posts are unresponsive."_

_"Kakashi, please call me by my name. Your my student and if anything a close friend to the family," said the man as he continued to look into the ocean blue eyes of his son._

_"I'm sorry... Minato-sensei."_

_"Please take off the Anbu mask. This will be the last time that I will be able to see you."_

_"Sensei, what are you talking about? There will be plenty of times to see my face after the attack."_

_"Well that's a problem Kakashi. I may have found the solution to our problem, but I never said that I will be alive to see the outcome." Minato cradled Naruto in his arms. He walked towards Kakashi and slowly took off the mask._

_"Your dad would be proud of the man you've become." Kakashi turned away, as to hide the tears that were welling up in his eyes._

_"Oi, I have a favor to ask each of you, Tsunade-san, Jiraiya-sensei, and you to Sarutobi-san. Kakashi I want you to protect these two no matter what. Tsunade, I want you to teach Karin just like you taught Kushina. Jiraiya-sensei, I want you to do the same for Naruto as you did me. He'll be growing up without a father and I want you to be there for him. And Sarutobi, I know this is asking much but can you take on the title of hokage one more time?"_

_"Where will you be going gaki?" Minato turned his attention to his sensei._

_"A few weeks ago before the attack, I was researching seals and such as usual," his sensei nodded to continue, " and I came across a technique that will allow me to seal the Kyuubi."_

_"That's great. What's the technique Minato?" asked Jiraiya._

_"I was getting to that old man. The technique is called, the Shiki Fujin (1)."_

_"Gaki, are you stupid? You could have asked someone else to do that technique... Hell you could've asked me to do it."_

_"Jiraiya, what does this technique do?" inquired Sarutobi._

_"Sensei, the technique can call forth the shinigami to a battle and imprison someone's soul to an eternity in the stomach of the shinigami. But the price of doing such a technique is the same as the outcome of the technique. The user will also lose his or her soul to the shinigami."_

_"Minato, why didn't you tell one of us to do it?" _

_"I only had a few weeks to study, alter it, and perfect it. No offense old man, but you don't have as much chakra as me anymore to seal a bijuu such as Kyuubi. And sensei, the reason that I didn't ask you to make this sacrifice is because this seal has a second stipulation..."_

_"A second stipulation?"_

_"You see, I figured that the I wouldn't be able to handle such an enormous amount of chakra and complete the jutsu. My altered seal however, will allow the shinigami to assist me. He will assist me as I seal the Kyuubi into... Naruto."_

_"What?! How's that possible. What makes you think that containing it in a child will work, in your child no less!"_

_"History speaks for itself. In the past, there have been many demon containers called jinchuuriki. But the reason that I have to do it inside a child is because a child has not matured enough to develop chakra coils, it can still adapt to the foreign chakra unlike an adult."_

_"But why should you do it?"_

_"Sensei, I want to be the one to protect this village. Besides, kages usually don't live long lives. If your alive then I know that Naruto will be protected."_

_"You could protect him too."_

_"No, I couldn't. The minute that my enemies find out that Naruto is my son or that Karin is my daughter, then those two will be put in constant danger. But if they are under Kushina's care, then they will have anonymity from my enemies."_

_"Kuchiyose no Jutsu," the blond kage called out as smoke erupted outside of the hospital. From the smoke emerged a large toad with a pipe in his mouth._

_"Minato, wait!" yelled out Jiraiya._

_"Gamabunta, I need you to take me to the battlefield," said Minato completely ignoring his sensei._

_**"Sure thing gaki. You owe me a drink after this."**_

_"I don't think I'll be able to keep that promise."_

_xxxXXxxx_

_"Kushina..." Kakashi watched helplessly as his sensei's wife walked away with her daughter. His legs were immobilized after attempting to apprehend the kage level kunoichi. Even with his younger charge helping him, they were no match for the woman._

_"Sempai, we can't hope to catch up to her in our current state." Tenzou, at the time, was still a rookie in Anbu. He was meek, shy, non impulsive, and distrustful things that were very unbecoming of an Anbu shinobi. His distrust in humanity, however, derived from his time with Orochimaru when he was still his experiment._

_"Are you disobeying your superior boy?"_

_"No sempai..."_

_"Then move it! If I can't use my legs to catch up with her, then I'll use my arms to crawl after her. I refuse to let another child go through life without parents." True to his word, Kakashi crawled across the village, chasing after her with his subordinate limping behind him._

_"Why do you try so hard sempai?" Kakashi didn't stop moving, but he glanced back at him._

_"I shouldn't have to explain myself to you Tenzou. You of all people should know what it's like to be alone, not to have parents, or be despised. Look at the child that you hold in your arms. I don't want that child to grow up knowing that he was abandoned by his mother."_

_"He... he won't have to know..." Tenzou said weakly._

_"But people will talk, Tenzou, remember that. They will use that to hurt him. Even now in his few moments of life, he is already experiencing isolation and despise." Kushina had stopped walking and turned to see the two boys, still following her._

_"...Naruto..." Naruto could see the woman's lips move, but couldn't make out the words that she was saying_

_"I'm sorry... off... me..." The words were lost in the midst of the night's wind and only those little tidbits had reached his ears._

_"Kushina, don't do this to him. It's bad enough he lost sensei, but not you too," yelled out the cyclopean ninja. The kunoichi stopped dead in her tracks and turned towards the young man holding her other child._

_"I just... I just can't see him as my son... that...monster." Those words, as quiet as they were, would impact the young child for years to come. Kushina would then take her leave, forever vanishing into the darkness of the night. No reports of Kushina or any sightings of her were either scarce, confidential, or there would be little to no information on her._

* * *

Naruto's eyes slowly opened. The smell of salt in the air came from the slight breeze that flew through the window. In the other room he could here the small conversation amongst his teammates and his sensei. Sitting up, Naruto realized how much he had been perspiring during his sleep. The very vague memories of when he was merely an infant had plagued him many a nights.

The blond boy had decided that he needed to get stronger and he needed to do it as soon as possible. Focused solely on training, Naruto grabbed his pack and left a small note next to his futon.

"I really needed to get out of there..." thought Naruto as he jumped from branch to branch. He was well into the forest when a foreboding branch rose towards his face. Naruto couldn't react in time and his face impacted upon the limb. His body twisted in the air and toppled towards the ground.

"Kuso..." Naruto writhed in pain as his hands clutched his eyes. Both looked badly injured. His left eye was swollen and blood was spewing from it.

"_Hey fox, can you fix this?_"

**"Can't kit, messing with organs and stuff is easier than messing with eyes. If I mess with that I could possibly distort your vision forever, or I could enhance it. But I'm not going to chance it, so I'll let Mother Nature take it's course and wait it out. It's not my fault someone decided to be stupid and jump on branches and such."**

"Well this sucks. My left eye hurts like hell, I can barely open it, and everything in my right eye looks blurry. And, to top it off I can't train anymore."

**"You lazy ass, I know for a fact that you were developing that blind fighting thing whatever you call it."**

"_Oh yeah, forgot about that. Hey, before I start training can you heal my other wounds and such?_"

**"No..."**

"_Why not?_"

**"Teach your crazy ass not to do that again unless it's important..."**

"_Goshujin ato sechi_."

**"I'm not stingy, you just need a lesson. Can't have my container being self reliant on my healing ability..."**

"I might as well sleep this off. I hope the team doesn't go looking for me."

* * *

"So even you have come back defeated huh?" A short stout man came through the door with two swordsmen at his side. Zabuza laid there, vulnerable, in his bed with Haku at his bed. The girl only left his side to go pick herbs and only that.

"It looks like the Kiri nins are all pathetic," spoke the other swordsman.

"You can't even avenge your men? And you call yourself a devil? Don't make me laugh." Zabuza didn't respond to the short man's jeer and continued to stare blankly at the ceiling. Both swordsmen, angered by Zabuza's lack of response, reached down to unsheathe their swords. They were stopped by Gatou though.

"Hold on a second..." He walked towards Zabuza with his hand reaching out towards his face, "... now there is no need to be silent. How about..."

Just as he was about to touch Zabuza's face, he felt a hand clamp onto his. The firm grip held the man in place.

"Don't you dare touch Zabuza-sama with your filthy hand," said Haku with murder evident in her eyes. Gatou's bodyguards already began to unsheathe their swords once more. Before they could fully unsheathe their weapons, the swords had disappeared and the blades that they had thought to be in their possession was grazing their throats with Haku in between the two of them.

"_No way, she moved in an instant..._" thought both of the swordsmen.

"You shouldn't do that... I'm really not in the mood and if you cross me... I'll kill you."

"One more chance, Zabuza. One more chance and if you fail, you won't be welcome here anymore. Let's go, the devil needs his rest." The three left in a hurry for fear that Haku might go through with her threat.

"Haku you didn't have to..." Zabuza lifted his blanket to show that he was holding a kunai.

"I know, but it's too early to kill Gatou. If we cause a commotion, then they will be after us again. We must be patient," said Haku, her smile returning to her face.

"Your right... I guess."

"I have to go and pick herbs for your wounds. Will you be alright by yourself?"

"I can take care of myself Haku."

"Let me rephrase that, will you promise not to kill anyone while I'm gone?"

"Okay, I might have some difficulty with that request but I'll try."

* * *

"Where is that baka?"

"Who cares, the note said that he'd be back before dinner so we don't have to worry over the dobe."

"Sensei?"

"Hmm?"

"_What's this? Zabuza is dead... What's this feeling. I feel like I'm missing something important,_" thought the veteran jounin.

"Why do you look so worried, don't worry Naruto is probably all right." Kakashi was in deep thought about the previous fight.

"Oh I'm not worried about him. But I think that we need to start training as soon as possible."

"Why sensei?"

"Zabuza..."

"What do you mean? We all saw that the hunter-nin had killed him," said Sakura.

"Well that's the thing that bothers me. Usually a hunter-nin destroys the body right on the spot and if they needed any evidence to show, the head of the target would suffice."

"So what?"

"Don't you see? How did that masked girl...boy... dispose of Zabuza's body?"

"How could we know? That guy took his body," said Sakura knowingly.

"_What a dense girl..._"

"But what about the weapons that was used?" asked Kakashi.

"_Nothing but simple needles... unless,_" thought Sasuke.

"No way..." he murmured.

"Exactly Sasuke."

"What are you guys talkin' 'bout?" asked Tazuna.

"Zabuza... is alive!" Everyone looked at Kakashi in shock.

"But, but sensei. You checked him yourself. You said that he was dead," said Sakura.

"Yeah I did, however, it was most likely... a momentary death. The weapon the hunter-nin used, unless it hits a vital organ, has a low probability rate of killing your opponent. It's an item used by doctors in acupuncture therapy. Hunter-nin know about the body's structure thoroughly, putting someone in a momentary death is probably easy for people like them."

"But what I'm worried about is the hunter-nin. First he or she carried the much heavier Zabuza, second the hunter-nin used a weapon of low probability rate of killing. These two points indicate that his... or her true motive wasn't to kill Zabuza, but to save him."

"Aren't you thinking too much? Hunter-nins are suppose to kill missing-nins," said Tazuna.

"We can't ignore that possibility however. No, with all the suspicion, we will prepare before it's too late. That's a shinobi rule," Kakashi sat up from the makeshift bed,"Plus, whether Zabuza is alive or not, there's no assurances that Gatou hasn't hired an even stronger shinobi."

"_Sasuke looks happy that Zabuza might be alive..._" Sasuke was shaking at the thought of a stronger shinobi appearing.

"Sensei, what do you mean by preparing before it's too late? You can barely move," stated Sakura.

"Hehe... you guys will recieve training."

"Sensei! What's a little training going to do. Our enemy is a shinobi that even you struggled against even with the sharingan." said Sakura.

"Sakura... who saved me while I was struggling? You guys of course. You three are growing rapidly. But of course, This is just training until I get better. You three can't face him without me."

"But sensei, if Zabuza is alive he could attack at any time, should we be training?" asked Sakura.

"About that... A person that is put in a momentary death should take a while before their body returns to normal."

"So it's settled we train until then," said Sasuke, "But we'll tell the dobe when he gets back."

* * *

Haku loved going out to pick herbs. It made her feel normal and she loved the serene breeze carressing against her face that was usually hidden behind her mask. This allows her to wear civilian clothes and act like a normal girl, no killing and no bloodshed. She was about to reach the area that she had frequented in the past week or so, when she spotted Naruto sleeping on the ground. The bandages that usually covered his face was worn over his left eye and was soaked in blood. Haku kneeled next to him.

"_He was there during the battle. He's that boy,_" Haku's hand reached down towards the boy's neck, fully prepared to strangle him but thought against the idea. Instead she pulled down the collar of his cloak to get a better look at his face. Haku was mesmerized by the his boyish good looks. She traced her fingers along side Naruto's whisker marks. She tensed however when the boy leaned into her hand and smiled.

"Oh Haku," moaned the jinchuuriki, "That feels nice."

"_He knows my name!_" Haku panicked as the boy that was leaning against her hand aroused.

"What time is it?" asked Naruto as he looked around, "Hey, who are you?"

"You don't... know me?" asked a very confused Haku.

"Should I? I can't see very well as you can see."

"What happen?"

"Well I was pretty stupid. You see I was jumping branch to branch, trying to find a place to train, then I jumped face first into this branch in front of me and fell down here. So instead of going back, I'm going to sleep this off and train in a little bit."

"I should look at that eye, it could be infected." Naruto happily obliged and took off the bandages. Haku looked closely at the eye.

"Well?"

"No infection, but the retina appears slightly damaged and the other eye seems to be feeling the affects as well. Visiting a specialized medic nin could remedy this, but for now it seems as though your temporarily blind until your eye heals."

"Thanks. Well this sucks, but at least I don't have to worry."

"Why not? I think I would worry if I were a ninja."

"Well I've practiced situations where I wouldn't always have my sight. Like I have my nose and my ears to rely on. Like how I can tell that you were hovering over me for a while, or that you smell of lilacs and strangely of blood."

"Well, um... you see I work at a hut where my family offers free medical service."

"I also know that was a complete lie. But I won't press the issue. It's not my place anyway. So do you need help with those herbs?"

"How did you know I was picking herbs?"

"Well your out here for one. I heard you put down a basket earlier and I smell some herbs that aren't native to this area of the forest."

"You're a very smart and perceptive boy."

"And you sound like a very nice lady."

"I'm a boy."

"That's not what I smell."

"What?" asked a flustered Haku.

"Girls and boys protrude very distinct smells that are only common amongst the gender. I know this is useless information to me, but I was bored one day and decided to test out my theory. Am I right?"

"Yes... yes you are." Haku was nervous. Naruto let out a snicker.

"You're very easy to trick you know that? I have a great sense of smell, but not that great. I'd have to be like a dog or something to smell something that acute."

"How did you know that I was a girl then?" asked Haku.

"I didn't, I took a guess and you caved." After Naruto had said this there was a long awkward silence between the two.

"I'm sorry. I'm being too nosy. Let me start over, so do you need help?"

"Yes, that would be nice." The two worked side by side in silence with Naruto asking only once about what herb they were looking for.

"How do you know what herb is right?"

"I smell it."

"But if it's poisonous..."

"Then I'm screwed." At that, Haku giggled at the boy's blunt comment.

"So what are you doing out here..."

"Naruto... Uzuma...no Namikaze Naruto. I was out here to train like I said earlier."

"Why are you training?"

"So I could become stronger. I need to become stronger."

"Hmm... But you already look plenty strong."

"That's not good enough for me," whispered Naruto.

"Are you doing this for your benefit or for someone else?"

"Hmm, what do you mean?" Haku giggled a little.

"What's so funny?" asked Naruto.

"Do you have someone important to you? When someone has something precious that they want to protect... That's when they become truly strong."

"Hmm... Yeah I guess I have one person I could consider precious to me... Actually she's the most important and influential person to me."

"Really? Mind I ask her name?"

"Wait what's your name? I'm sorry miss, but I forgot to ask for your name."

"Oh... My name is...Tekiya," said Haku.

"Really," Naruto laughed at this, "Faker!? Wow, your parents must have really hated you." Unfortunately for Haku, Naruto had hit way too close to home for her.

"Sumimasen, I couldn't help myself. Anyways, to answer your question, the person that's probably worth more to me than my life...her name is Haku."

"_So that's who he was referring to,_" thought Haku.

"How'd you two meet?"

"Well theres a funny story about that. You see, before we became friends, I met her twice and both times I ended up half-dead. The first time I met her was when I think I was about three or four. I was kidnapped and taken to this snowy village in Mizu," said Naruto.

"_Could it be? No, impossible. There is no way he could know about it_," thought Haku.

"...Now usually shinobi don't have jurisdiction in foreign land to chase missing nin, but with a quick message sent to the daimyo the ninja that had been tracking us for a while was allowed to bypass this rule and gave chase. This guy must have really been serious about gaurd duty to risk his career for me. I mean most ninja are smart enough to know when they failed a mission but to risk war," chuckled Naruto.

"When I got older, though, I thought for a while that this memory was a crazy dream but then I met her again. Oh wait I'm getting ahead of myself I didn't tell you what happened," Naruto said sheepishly.

"What had happened was that the ninja that was carrying me was extremely injured from fighting the guy chasing us and then used the remaining chakra he had to escape. When we were far enough, he thought it would be safe to take refuge in this cottage out in the middle of nowhere."

"_There is no way this is happening_," thought Haku trying to reassure herself that this was a coincidence.

"So he tied me up and propped me up against a tree saying 'a demon like you doesn't deserve shelter'. Oh before I continue, what I'm about to say is going to sound crazy but bear with me okay?" Haku nodded, her hands clenched tightly on the bottom hem of her yukata.

"Now after I was set down, I heard some screams and yells and I turned to face the cottage. Someone yelled the name Haku before the whole cottage was engulfed in this crazy ass field of icicles and stuff. Then, out of nowhere, this little girl came running out of there, tears streamin' down her face." Haku was speechless, she no longer heard anything else of what the blond boy had been saying and was terrified that her past might have caught up to her.

"...Oddly enough, I met her a year later after I accidentally got hit by a barrage of kunai. Then I was sent to this insane asylum and apparently she had been committed there before me." Haku stood up to leave.

"Hold up!" Naruto reached out for her arm, but due to his current blind status he accidentally grabbed her ass. Not knowing that it was Haku's ass, Naruto continued to squeeze it. Haku clenching her jaws, turned around and swung her basket at Naruto, completely missing and forgetting her previous dismay which was replaced with righteous fury.

"Great, there goes all the work we put in," said Naruto referring to the scattered herbs.

"It's your fault. Hentai!"

"What did I do?"

"You grabbed my ass you jerk!"

"Hello, temporarily blind here. I can't even see your ass." Haku calmed down after hearing this, and then laughed wholeheartedly as she picked up the herbs off the ground.

"I'm sorry, it's just that I feel safer talking to you than people that know me," said Naruto

"That sounds silly. Why wouldn't you confide in your teammates?"

"Well I know this will sound unbelievable, but I'm not very liked in my village. Actually that's not true, I'm hated in my village. Most villagers would rather see me dead than a ninja and sometimes they try to see to it that I am dead."

"I see..."

"Well, as you can guess. If I were to tell of my fears, weaknesses, or dreams to anyone... hell if I even talk to anyone, the villagers will see to it that they can manipulate even the most harmless conversation as a strike against me. You, however, aren't from my village. Therefore, I don't have to worry about such dilemmas." Haku sympathized with the boy.

"Will you be here tomorrow?"

"I come here everyday to pick herbs, that is until my family decides to move again. I'm sure we'll meet again and hopefully next time you won't be so hasty to grab me..." Naruto's face grew bright red at that minor quip as Haku left.

"Hey Tekiya! Nice ass," yelled back Naruto. Haku, having heard this, faulted onto the ground.

"Teach her not to mess with me... Now how do I get back?"

* * *

"You idiot, what happened to your eye?" Sakura was inspecting Naruto's wound.

"Well, you see... what had happened was, I was jumping from..." Naruto was about to continue, but Sakura would not listen to the rest of it.

"Stop I could already tell that you did something stupid."

"Naruto, this wound is pretty serious. I'm not a medic nin so I can't help you out. I only recommend that you cover your eye until we can get proper treatment for it."

"Naze? Sensei, your so serious."

"I am serious. With this, you can't fight properly."

"Yeah I can, you remember right?" said Naruto, referring to the genin test that they had taken not too long ago.

"But your not proficient enough to use it in battle."

"Well then I'll train. Besides, what did you guys do today?"

"Oh right, you weren't here. We practiced tree climbing."

"They don't know how to do the tree climbing exercise?"

"Well they don't have chakra like you Naruto..." he said while he turned another page of his book.

"How can you read that smut with children in the room?" asked a beautiful, yet angry Tsunami, the daughter of Tazuna.

"Easy! I turn the page and then continue," said Kakashi happily. Amidst the cheerful banter and pointless arguments, sat a small boy at the other end of the dining table grumbling angrily.

"Why do you guys bother..." snarled the little boy.

"Hey who's the gaki?" asked Naruto.

"Oh, that's Inari. He's Tazuna's grandson that he told us about," said Sakura.

"So what's up your ass kid?"

"Why do you try so hard? No matter how hard you train, you're still no match for Gatou's men." said the boy as tears streamed down his angered face.

"Really, I never thought of it like that. I think it wouldn't be as fun if the enemy was weak," grinned Naruto

"No matter how hard you work, when facing the strong the weak will only end up getting killed."

"Whatever kid, I'm nothing like you. Unlike you I ain't gonna die," said Naruto.

"I'd hate to be like you! You don't know anything about this country yet your being nosy!" yelled Inari as he slammed his hands onto the table.

"I'm just doing what I'm paid to do," said Naruto as he took a bite of his food.

"Just go home, what the hell do you know about us! I'm different from you, you're always clowning around and acting so damn cheerful!"

"Watch your language little boy," joked Naruto.

"See! You don't know how hard life can be!" Naruto's eyes narrowed at that comment. His grin grew wider.

"You little shit!" yelled an infuriated Naruto.

"Naruto!" screamed Sakura.

"I don't know how hard life is? So it's okay for you to be a little bitch about it?" Naruto brandished a kunai in his hand. He walked towards Inari, backing him towards a wall. His maniacle laugh frightening the younger boy.

"You're going too far Naruto," said Sakura.

"I won't forgive you if you harm my son," said Tsunami. She stood up in panick as she saw Naruto raise his kunai towards the ceiling. Tsunami reached out towards Naruto and grabbed his shoulder. Naruto's kunai fell to the ground... He was asleep. Inari had been frozen in fear of what Naruto could've done to him. He took this moment to crawl away and run towards the front door.

"Damn't this time Naruto has gone too far," yelled Sakura.

"Well wasn't that lucky," said Kakashi as he flipped another page of his book.

"You weren't going to stop him?" asked Sakura.

"Why? He's smart enough to know that he is not the reason were getting paid. And if he did intend to kill Inari, well were damn lucky he's narcoleptic," laughed Kakashi, "Sasuke, take Naruto to his room. I'll talk to Inari."

* * *

Moves and Meanings:

_Corpse Demon Seal Exhaustion _or _Shiki Fujin (S Rank, Fuinjutsu/Ninjutsu)_- Shiki Fujin is a summoning and a sealing technique. The user creates a contract ,prior to its use, with the shinigami. Afterwards, if need be in battle the user will summon the shinigami. Using the user's chakra, the shinigami will grasp the soul of the opponent out of his or her body and drag it out through the user's body (along with the user's soul) will ensnare them to eternity in the stomach of the shinigami.

However, Minato created a variation of this technique. Instead of the shinigami dragging the soul of the Kyuubi into its stomach, it helps Minato seal the bijuu into the body of Naruto. The end result of this variation is still the same, as Minato still sacrificed his soul to the shinigami. There is also the alternative if user is unable to fully pull out the soul of his opponent and that is for the shinigami to use it's zanbakuto to sever the part of the soul that was dragged out, forever crippling the opponent.

**AN: **I'm sorry that I haven't updated in like forever. I have no excuses except of those that Kakashi would have come up with. I found out a week after I was originally going to update was that I had multiple plot points but no details to connect them. So for a while I had to revise all my notes of future chapters. I also heard an interesting point that's been brought to my attention. Though it's too late to do now, in my future stories I will try to apply dialects and accents to the story, you know like how Sasuke is from a noble clan or Naruto is from the streets yet they don't speak like they should. For those that are angry at the lack of flexibility that I have with Sakura's character, I apologize. But I will put some effort to put some more depth into her character as I have with Kakashi, Tenzou, etc...

Also knowing that Tobi is not Obito makes me have to fully revise a few future chapters. Actually, I think you'll fully enjoy the new twist I've put in my future chapters. Regarding the training session that Kakashi is putting these three... or two through or the talk that Kakashi had with Inari, well I'm not going to write...err type about it but I will reference about it. I will not write anymore conversations about Naruto and 'Tekiya' but it will also be referenced a lot in the many chapters to come.

On an unrelated topic, I'm going to lend out ideas for stories for anyone that wants to type it. These ideas were formerly, notes that were either the start, the premise, or part of this story but could not fit. Please message me if you want these ideas and start your own. I know I could start on these but, I'm sorta busy studying for the new semester. Thanks for reading and your cooperation, Ja! :)


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